rry that he had done so.

Far astern of the Lion, and yet not so far that the German admiral could
not have seen her but for the darkness, came two other long gray shapes;
and from farther east, and closer, appeared a third.

The German admiral gritted his teeth.

"Confound these English!" he exclaimed. "Can nobody beat them?"

For a moment he debated with himself. He had half a mind to continue the
struggle, for the odds were still, with the Germans. Then he changed his
mind.

The wireless aboard the German flagship flashed a signal to retire.

But the German admiral had delayed too long for a successful retreat.
Other British ships hove into view--seven of them. There was nothing for
the German fleet to do but fight it out. The admiral gave the order:

"Advance!"

CHAPTER XXV

THE LAST SEA BATTLE

The cannonading became terrific.

Now that assistance arrived, Jack ordered the Essex, which still was the
nearest British vessel to the enemy, back into the fray.

"The big fellows will look out for us," he confided to Frank.

The revolving turrets of the Essex were kept on the move and guns crashed
as fast as they could be brought to bear. Shells struck on all sides of
the destroyer and occasionally one came aboard. But thanks to Jack's
maneuvering of the vessel, so far she had not been struck in a vital part.

The main British fleet bore down on the enemy from two sides, and to
protect themselves against these new foes, the Germans were forced to turn
their attention elsewhere than the Essex. Already big shells from the
British warships were striking aboard the enemy. The range had been found
almost with the first fire from the approaching war vessels and the
Germans were replying as fast as they were able.

The fighting was at such close range now that Jack was able to distinguish
the names of the German battleships. In the center, flying the flag of
Admiral Krauss, was the Bismarck. On the right of the flagship were the
Hamburg and the Potsdam, while on the left the flagship was flanked by the
Baden and the Wilhelm II.

The fire of all five German vessels, at order of the admiral, was now
directed upon the Lion, which bore down swiftly and was perhaps a quarter
of a mile closer to the enemy than any other British craft except the
destroyer Essex, commanded by Jack.

The forward guns of the Lion roared angrily and spat fire in the darkness
as she bore down on the Germans at full speed. As yet