Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/114

 forth between its usual location and his throat, or to seem to!

Shortly after two o'clock the enemy began the action at a hopeless range. The shell fell far short of its mark, although the direction was good. The challenge was answered on the Gyandotte by the bugle call of General Quarters and the men hurried to stations. A second shell from the German raider fell short and was followed quickly by a third which flung up the water close aboard. Not until then did the Gyandotte reply. Her bow guns spoke, but there were no hits. The enemy was evidently more desirous of running away than giving battle, for her firing was desultory and inaccurate for the succeeding quarter of an hour during which the pursuer fired seldom and with no effect. At about eight thousand yards the real music began. It was then about two-thirty-five and the cruiser was approximately one hundred and twenty miles southwest of Bermuda. To the enemy went first blood, for a shell burst on deck forward of the bridge, carrying away part of that structure and damaging the foremast range finder. But after that it was the Gyandotte's battle. The enemy's after deck was raked clean five minutes after the main action started and she was repeatedly hulled during the ensuing fifty minutes. 92