aining German ships turned and dashed after the flagship, which
was showing the way.

Instantly the commander of every British ship realized the purpose of the
enemy. Even the distant Falcon and Peerless seemed to know what was
expected of them. Their speed increased and they dashed forward in an
effort to intercept the enemy.

It was nip and tuck. The Lion was the first to dash in pursuit, followed
by the Tiger and the White Hawk. The Brewster and Southampton, closely
followed by the more or less crippled Essex, brought up the rear, each
doing its utmost to pass the other in order to get another chance at the
enemy.

Slowly the Lion, the Tiger and the White Hawk gained on the enemy; and it
became apparent now that the Germans would be unable to get through the
space between the Peerless and Falcon without a fight.

Aboard the Bismarck, the German admiral gritted his teeth.

"It will have to be fight now," he muttered, "and the odds are all against
me."

The Falcon and the Peerless, from either side and forward of the Germans,
now opened with their big guns almost simultaneously. Every available gun
aboard the German vessels replied. From astern, the guns of the Lion were
pounding the sterns of the fleeing enemy battleships. The Brewster and the
Southampton, together with the Tiger and the White Hawk, also were hurling
shells after the Germans, although with little effect, for they were
trailing too far behind.

Jack urged the Essex forward in the wake of the others. He was far behind
and was rapidly being outdistanced by the larger ships, but he determined
to see the thing through if possible.

The last German ship in line, struck by a shell from the pursuing Lion,
staggered and fell to one side. The Lion darted on, pouring a broadside
into the crippled enemy as she passed, then dashed after the vessels
ahead.

The Tiger, White Hawk, Brewster and Southampton, also poured broadsides
into the Wilhelm II as they passed, but they did not even slacken their
pace.

But the Wilhelm II apparently had not received her death blow. Her crew
continued to fight the ship heroically, and as the Essex approached she
was greeted with a heavy fire from the German.

"The big fellows don't seem to have made a very good job of this," said
Jack to Frank. "We'll finish it for them."

The Essex slowed down and turned sharply toward the Wilhelm II. Her guns
still in condition to fight burst forth anew. The British showed
excell