CHAPTER XI.
AN URGENT CALL FOR THE HOLLAND XI.
Early on the following morning the Holland went back to her old resting place near Provincetown, and the young captain reported to his superiors what had occurred.
"You have done well," said the commodore, who received his report. "You beat them at their own game. But we must be very careful in the future, for there may be more fraudulent messages afloat."
"I would like to make a suggestion to the department," replied Oscar, modestly.
"What is it?"
"Why not have every real message marked in some peculiar and secret manner known only to those who can be trusted? Then every commander would know at once whether a message was genuine or not."
"An excellent suggestion," answered the commodore. "I will recommend that this be done."
Later on Oscar's plan was carried into effect, and by it three false messengers were caught, and later on these men were hung as spies.
Nothing had been seen of the foreign fleet since they had run to sea, but it was not long before the warships were discovered about thirty miles outside of Boston harbor.
The new Holland was at once ordered to that vicinity, "To do as much damage as possible," so the order read.
"And we'll do it," said Captain Oscar. "They'll clear out for good when we're done with them."
But alas! the best laid plans are sometimes miscarried by things really small in themselves.
A small fishing smack one night came in the bay and anchored directly above the Holland.
When the Holland started to move, the anchor of the fishing smack got tangled up in one of the submarine boat's screws.
The result was the wrecking of the screw and the grinding of the anchor into powder. Those on the fishing smack were scared almost to death, thinking there was an earthquake going on under the boat.
Andy Greggs was in despair, but not so Oscar.
"No use crying over spilt milk," said the young captain. "We must get that screw repaired without delay."
And he had the Holland XI. towed over to the Charlestown Navy Yard.
The accident put a damper on the enthusiasm of the navy department, for much had been looked for from the new Holland.
But the enemy was close at hand and must be met, and Admiral Fielding gathered a squadron of twenty-six cruisers and gunboats for that purpose. With this squadron went two of the regular torpedo-boat destroyers.
More warships were telegraphed for from New York, but it would take these vessels two days to reach the scene of battle.
The squadron sailed out at night, with everybody in the best of spirits.
It was felt that one of the greatest battles of the war was at hand.
"We'll smash every one of the enemy!" cried one old salt, "just as Dewey smashed the Spanish warships in Manila Bay."
"And Schley smashed the Spaniards in Santiago harbor!" added another jackie.
And so the talk ran on until morning dawned.
It was expected that the enemy would be in sight, but not a single ship was to be seen anywhere.
"This is remarkable," said Admiral Fielding. And he at once sent some scouting craft ahead to find out what had become of the foreign vessels.
The scouts came back at nightfall and reported that the foreigners were running up to the coast of Maine. The enemy was making for Casco Bay, off the city of Portland.
At once began a chase after the foreign ships which lasted all of that night and up to noon of the next day.
Then the American cruisers Vermont and Canada came up to the rear guard of the enemy and opened fire without delay.
Inside of half an hour a fierce battle was in progress, with twenty-eight warships on the American side, and thirty-two on the side of the allies.
The din was terrific, as broadside after broadside was poured forth from one ship or another.
The first vessel to go down in the dreadful encounter was the German cruiser Berlin. She was quickly followed by the Italian gunboat Carlos II. and the French frigate Siene. In the meantime one of the British cruisers had caught fire and was burning fiercely.
But now the Americans began to catch it, and presently the cruiser Utah took fire. Her magazines blew up, and this set fire to the Tennessee, which happened to be close at hand when the explosion occurred.
In the van of the fight was the noble Oregon, with the Brooklyn beside her. These old ships had done wonders in the Spanish-American war, and they were now adding nobly to their laurels.
To the right of the line, the New Jersey was having a sort of private duel with the English cruiser Windsor. The Windsor had pumped three ten-inch shells into the New Jersey, but still our cruiser held her own, and let drive with two of her thirteen-inch guns. Both shots hit below the water-mark, and the Windsor slowly sunk, many of her crew swimming to the neighboring warships.
To the left of the line was the New York, fighting two French ships whose names could not be ascertained. The Frenchmen were plucky, and poured shot and shell hotly into the New York. But presently one was sunk by a ten-inch shell, and rushing around in a semi-circle, the New York managed to ram the second, nearly cutting her in two.
But now more foreign ships were coming up and the fight became hotter than ever, until the surface of the sea was filled with nothing but waterspouts and thick clouds of smoke. At times but little could be seen, and it is no doubt that on more than one occasion a friendly ship fired into one of its comrades without knowing it.
But though the American ships were doing nobly, it was seen by nightfall that the battle was slowly but surely going against them. They still had sixteen ships fit for service, but the other foreign war vessels had come up, and the good ships on the other side numbered twenty-six, just ten more. The newly arrived warships were big ones, and the outlook for the Americans became blacker and blacker.
"If only we had the new Holland here," sighed Admiral Fielding. "I believe she could turn the scales in our favor when morning comes."
By the wireless telegraph he sent a message ashore to Portland, which was immediately transmitted to the Charlestown Navy Yard.
Soon this message came back:
"Have just finished repairs and am at your service."Oscar Pelham,"Captain, commanding Holland XI."
"Have just finished repairs and am at your service.
"Oscar Pelham,"Captain, commanding Holland XI."
"Good!" cried the admiral, and then he sent this massage in reply:
"Come to Casco Bay instantly, and do all the damage you can."
"We are off for Casco Bay!" cried the young captain to his lieutenant.
"The call looks important," answered Andy.
"It is important. There has been a big battle, and it looks as if our fleet was almost knocked out."
"By Jove! Then we are wanted, and no mistake."
Boston harbor was soon left behind, and they stood up the New England coast.
"Crowd on all power!" said the young captain to the engineer. "Don't spare anything. This run may prove the run of our lives."
And power was crowded on, until the Holland XI. quivered with an energy that seemed to endow her with life.
Slowly the night went by, and when morning came it found the submarine boat in sight of the great battle ground.
The foreign ships were hammering the Americans as never before, and matters were going badly with the upholders of Old Glory.
"Here is where we make a record for ourselves, or die in the attempt!" cried Captain Oscar. "We must turn that defeat into victory. Let every man do his duty to the utmost. Down we go, Dross."
And down plunged the new Holland into the ocean on her course of destruction and death.