"Then a shell hit us amidships and tore out one of our boilers. I was
on the bridge with Captain Ames at the time.

"'Go below and report,' said Ames, just as calmly as though we were at
maneuvers and one of our piston rods was pounding a little.

"I went down into a cloud of steam and found two men, pretty well
scalded, dragging out the others who had been more badly hurt by the
explosion. There wasn't enough of the water tight compartment left to
shut it off from the rest of the vessel, but we still had one boiler
intact.

"I directed the men to carry the wounded above and started back for the
bridge. Just as my feet were on the bottom of the ladder there was
another crash. The body of a man who had just reached the deck came
toppling down in a shower of splinters and debris.

"Well, I got back on to my feet and made the deck. A shell had
exploded right atop of us and nearly swept us clean. The bridge was
almost carried away. Captain Ames lay under a light steel beam and I
thought he was dead. I ran over to him. As I approached he shook off
the beam and got up. One of his legs gave way and he had to hold on to
a stanchion for support.

"'Cut off my trouser leg!' he shouted, very much excited.

"I ripped out my knife and did as he ordered. Then he twisted the
cloth around his leg above an ugly gash and tied it.