se who opposed them, and, while
Frobisher's ship was still some distance away, he saw the Chinese flag
flutter down from the _Ting Yuen's_ peak, to be immediately replaced by
the Japanese naval ensign; and the ship herself swung round in the
direction of the enemy's squadron and began to forge ahead toward it,
Prince Hsi having evidently determined to turn his guns against his own
countrymen.

As the Japanese ensign fluttered aloft there fell a sudden silence over
both fleets. As though by mutual consent every gun was hushed for a few
moments, and hoarse, stern, and menacing above the strange stillness
rose a roar of execration from the throats of the Chinese, as they at
last realised the meaning of the extraordinary scene that had just taken
place aboard the flagship.

Defiantly her captain trained his guns on the nearest Chinese ships and
fired; but whether his gunners could not bring themselves to the actual
point of firing on their country's flag, or whether it was due to the
excitement of the moment, every shot missed, and a shout of derision
went up from the Chinese squadron.

But Captain Frobisher knew that curses and shouts of execration would
not bring back the _Ting Yuen_. If she was to be saved to the Chinese
Navy she must not be allowed to gain the shelter of the Japanese main
body. If she reached that, she would be lost for ever, and the day
would be lost beyond hope of redemption for the Chinese. To lose one
powerful battleship, and to find another suddenly arrayed against them--
for that is what it would of course amount to--would so weaken the
already enfeebled Chinese strength that success would be out of the
question; and the Englishman determined that, come what might, he would
prevent the traitor prince from carrying out his foul intentions.

He shouted a few brief commands to Drake, who vanished like a puff of
smoke from the conning-tower; issued an order to the quartermaster at
the wheel; and rang to the engine-room the two short calls that
signified that he required all the power the engines could develop, for
a sudden emergency. Then he looked to see that his sword was loose in
its scabbard and his revolver fully charged, and waited for Drake to
reappear, while the _Chih' Yuen_, bounding forward under the full power
of her engines, turned her nose toward the stern of the _Ting Yuen_ and
kept it fixed there, relentless as fate.

By this time the cannonade had again become general through