om it. He was determined to fight to
the bitter end and, if need be, go down with his colours flying and guns
firing, as did his friend and brother officer, Arturo Prat, on board the
_Huascar_ at the battle of Iquique Bay, in which he, Condell, also took
part. Surrender? No; perish the thought!

"Two columns of smoke approaching from the southwest, sir," suddenly
reported Douglas, who had been attentively gazing southward through the
slit in the conning-tower, "and we are raising them so fast that they
must be steaming hard, whoever they may be. Is it possible, I wonder,
that they are two of our ships brought up by the firing?"

"Where, Senor Douglas? Allow me to look!" ejaculated Condell excitedly.
"By all that's wonderful, if you are right it means that we are saved!
Be so good as to bring me my glass, young man, as quickly as possible.
Every moment is now very precious."

Douglas was back in less than a minute, carrying the telescope, by the
aid of which it was presently seen that the approaching steamers were
undoubtedly warships; one of them having very much the appearance of the
_Magellanes_, while the other, a corvette, might be either the
_O'Higgins_ or the _Chacabuco_.

Condell looked long at the approaching ships, and then turned to look at
the _Union_. The Peruvian was fast coming up astern, and could not now
be more than a mile away. She was still firing remorselessly into the
gunboat, and apparently had not noticed the smoke columns.

"Now," shouted Condell to his men, "there is the _Union_, and yonder are
two of our ships coming up. We will stand and fight where we are, for
we can no longer run; and we must endeavour to disable the Peruvian so
effectually that she will fall an easy prey to the Chilian ships. When
once we get to close grips we must keep her so busy that she will not
have time to look round her until our friends are close aboard, when we
will hand her over to their tender mercies! To quarters again, my brave
hearts, and may God defend the right!"

A rousing cheer answered his words, and the men returned to their guns
full of hope and with renewed energy. They opened such a furious fire
upon the Peruvian that she fairly reeled under the impact of that storm
of missiles. But she nevertheless came on, unchecked, and a few minutes
later ranged up, broadside on to the _Covadonga_, at a distance of about
seven hundred yards, when the action at once became close and fierce.

In l