ent marksmanship. Shell after shell was poured into the crippled
foe. Jack ordered "cease firing."

Taking a megaphone that lay nearby, he put it to his mouth and called:

"Surrender!"

His answer was a shell that came crashing aboard aft from one of the
Wilhelm II's big guns. Jack turned quietly to Frank.

"Sink her!" he said.

Frank dashed across the deck to where the crew of the forward gun turret
was anxiously awaiting some command. He addressed the captain of the crew.

"See if you can put a shell into her engine room," he said. "Take your
time."

The latter did so; and it was several seconds before the big gun spoke,
but when it did Frank uttered an exclamation of satisfaction.

The shell had gone true. Watching eyes aboard the Essex saw it plow its
way through the side of the Wilhelm II. Then came the explosion and the
Wilhelm II seemed to part in the middle. She sank in less than five
minutes.

Meanwhile, the Peerless and Falcon had headed off the other three German
ships, which, forced to fight, now stood at bay, with every gun pounding.
The Lion, Tiger and the other vessels bore down on them rapidly from
astern.

For the space of half an hour the view of those aboard the Essex was
obscured by the smoke from the big guns, which could not be penetrated
even by the bright lights of the searchlights. They could hear the boom of
the big guns, the crash of the shells as they struck home and occasional
sharp explosions that told of irrepairable damage aboard the enemy
vessels, but they could see nothing.

"This will be the last of the enemy," was Frank's comment.

Jack nodded.

"I should think so," he agreed. "If they let one of those fellows get away
now they should be court-martialed."

"Don't fret," said Frank, "they won't get away."

They didn't get away.

Firing ceased just as the first streak of light appeared in the eastern
sky, and when the smoke of battle cleared away, Jack and Frank saw that
the British victory had been complete.

Only two German ships were still above water. These were the Bismarck,
flagship of Admiral Krauss, and the Hamburg. The others had all been sunk.

The Hamburg, the lads could see, was slowly sinking by the head. She was
being abandoned by her crew, who, in small boats, some even swimming, were
hurrying to the side of the Bismarck, where they were lifted aboard.

"Why didn't they sink her, too?" demanded Frank pointing to the German
flagship.

"Why?" repea