on.

"If we lose, we lose gamely," thought Fernald under his breath. "Was
there ever a better or braver commander than Darry? He will ask no odds,
but is ever willing to give them!"

"Ah!" The exclamation, half sigh, broke from Dave's lips as he saw the
burst of flame and smoke as a shell landed on the superstructure of the
leading German destroyer.

Then another shell from the "Grigsby" struck the same enemy's mast,
smashing the crow's-nest and hurling German seamen, dead or crippled,
into the sea.

Three enemy shells landed on the "Grigsby," causing no serious damage.
But the fourth hit dismounted one of Darrin's forward guns, killing three
men and wounding five. Hardly an instant later another German shell
landed on the bridge, reducing some of the metal work to a mass of
twisted junk and ripping out part of the deck.

Shell fragments and flying splinters flew on all sides, yet out of this
hurricane of destruction emerged Darrin, Fernald and the watch officer,
all uninjured.

An instant later Darrin shouted his orders in Fernald's ear, then gained
the deck below in a series of leaps.

With one of her forward guns dismounted, the "Grigsby" was to that extent
out of business. Preferring not to trust to his torpedo tubes, at this
juncture Darrin raced aft, just as the destroyer began to execute a swift
turn.

And now Dave's craft turned tail and ran for it, the young commander
directing personally the service of the after guns as the foremost German
destroyer gave chase.

Two more hits were scored by the enemy, with the result that two more of
Dave's hardy young seamen were killed and four wounded. Matters were
beginning to look decidedly serious.

As for Dan Dalzell, when he saw the "Grigsby" turn tail and flee, his
heart gave a great bound.

"Good old Darry didn't do that unless he had to," Dan told himself. "I
must cover his retreat somehow."

So, his guns barking, and men standing by at the torpedo tubes, Dalzell
darted straight for the second of the German destroyers.

Fortunately there was plenty of sea-room, for Dave Darrin was not in
reality running away. He was still alert to win the fight, but he wanted
to win with the smallest possible loss among his own men.

The Hun craft pursuing him was the slowest of the three enemies. This
Dave had already guessed. He allowed the other craft to gain for half a
mile, then suddenly shot ahead. By this time several hits had been scored
by both combatants