Page:At the Fall of Port Arthur.djvu/168

150 "The Columbia!"

"Are you sure?" cried Larry.

"She certainly is the Columbia," said Tom Grandon, after a look through the glass. "She has lost her fore topmast and part of her bowsprit."

"And a part of the stern rail is gone," added Larry, after he too had used the glass. "Let us tell Captain Tonkaka," he added, starting to go below.

The news that the Columbia was in sight was soon circulated throughout the ship, and Captain Tonkaka at once signaled to the other warships that he was going to her assistance. Then the Mimora Juri steamed away on her new course.

As they drew closer to the schooner they could see that the storm had treated the gallant old ship roughly enough. Many of the sails were in ribbons, and not only the fore topmast but also half a dozen of the spars were gone. One end of the forecastle was stove in, and a part of the stern was a wreck.

"This is the worst yet!" cried Larry. "They must have caught more of the gale than we did."

"They didn't know how to handle her, that's the reason of it," came from Captain Ponsberry. "We have taken her through a worse blow than that; eh, Tom?"

"I think so," answered the second mate.