"No!" thundered the admiral. "Why don't you sink those three ships ahead of you there? Sink them, I tell you!" The officer saluted and moved away. For some moments the German admiral continued to talk to himself in great anger; then he suddenly cooled down. With a finger he summoned the officer who had accosted him a moment before. The officer approached and saluted. "I forgot myself a moment ago," said the admiral. "You may give the signal to retire!" A moment later the big German ships began to come about; and from the decks of the _Queen Mary_, the _Lion_ and the _Indefatigable_ there came loud British cheers. The _Marlborough_, still helpless, poured shell after shell upon the enemy. Some distance away still, the British fleet was approaching in an endeavor to intercept the retreat of the enemy. Captain Raleigh of the _Queen Mary_ took in the situation at a glance. "They'll never do it!" he exclaimed. He determined upon a bold step. He gave command to bring the _Queen Mary_ about. Then, disabled as his ship was, he started in pursuit of the enemy. There was a cheer from the _Indefatigable_, and presently the head of that vessel also came about She started after the _Queen Mary_! CHAPTER XVIII THE SINKING OF THE "QUEEN MARY" Perceiving this move by two vessels that he believed the same as at the bottom of, the sea, so far as fighting purposes went, the German admiral became very angry again. "A blight on these English!" he exclaimed. "Don't they know when they are beaten?" Certainly it seemed not, if the Admiral's version that they were defeated was correct. The _Queen Mary_ and the _Indefatigable_ steamed after the enemy at full speed. Jack had relinquished his duties in the gun turret to more experienced hands and had joined Frank on deck. To some extent the forward turret had been repaired and was now in condition to hurl more shells after the fleeing enemy. It was well after noon when the Germans fled; and as the two British ships followed close on the heels of the enemy--with the main British fleet still some distance back--one of those deep impenetrable fogs that often impede progress on the North Sea suddenly descended. It was indeed a boon to the fleeing Germans, for without its aid, there is little likelihood that they could have escaped the British fleet, which had the heels of the enemy. But the fog blotted the foe completely from the sight of the main British fleet; and even from the decks of the _Queen Mary_ and the _Indefatigable_, much closer, it was impossible to make out the whereabouts of the Germans. The British continued to fire ahead into the fog, but with what result it was impossible to tell. The fog became more dense until it was impossible to see ten yards ahead. Even the great searchlights on the vessels failed to penetrate the gloom. "Well, I guess that settles it," said Frank.