to give battle to the last.

Steadily the British fleet bore down on the enemy, the great guns
of the Undaunted belching fire as they drew near.

Now Lord Hastings ordered the Sylph -- still the closest of the
British vessels to the Germans -- again into the fray, and in
spite of its crippled condition, the little cruiser once more
bore down upon the Germans.

Suddenly the nearest German destroyer launched a torpedo at the
Sylph. By a quick and skillful maneuver, Lord Hastings avoided
this projectile, and a broadside was poured into the German.

Others of the German fleet were too closely pressed by the
Undaunted and her convoys to aid the one engaged with the Sylph,
and so the two were left to fight it out alone.

Closer and closer together the two vessels came, until they were
perhaps only a hundred yards apart. It was evident to those on
the Sylph that a shell must have badly crippled the German, for
otherwise a torpedo would have put an end to the little British
craft.

Unable to check the advance of the Sylph, the German destroyer
turned suddenly and made off.

"After her!" shouted Lord Hastings, and the Sylph leaped ahead at
the word of command.