About one hundred and twenty men were saved from the _Bluecher_, and more would have been picked up but for the German aircraft, which by this time had arrived from Heligoland. To the intense anger of our sailors, a seaplane and a Zeppelin now began dropping bombs upon the rescue parties. They were careful to give a wide berth to those vessels which were armed with the latest anti-aircraft guns, and confined their attacks to the destroyers, which promptly scattered and then proceeded to drive them off. The airmen, no doubt, thought that the _Bluecher_ was a sinking British ship, and this may have given rise to the absurd tale, which was readily believed in Germany, that one, at least, of our battle cruisers had been sunk. * * * * * We must now return to the leading ships of the British squadron. Shortly after the Germans had changed course, Admiral Beatty himself sighted the periscope of a submarine on the starboard bow of the _Lion_, and promptly turned to port to avoid it. At this time the flagship, though she had been under much fire, had suffered but little. At three minutes past eleven, however, she was struck in the bow by a chance shot, which damaged her feed tank. According to German accounts, the _Lion_ was then about seventy miles from Heligoland. The accident, for it was no more, disabled the _Lion_. She had to reduce speed and fall out of the line. Admiral Beatty at once called up the destroyer _Attack_, and in it proceeded full speed in pursuit of the German squadron. The _Lion_ moved away to the north-west, and in the afternoon her engines began to give serious trouble. The _Indomitable_, which had by this time settled with the _Bluecher_, took the _Lion_ in tow, and after some hours of great anxiety brought her safely to port. The towing home of the _Lion_ by the _Indomitable_ was a very fine feat of seamanship. She could only proceed at five knots an hour, and at this snail's pace was a fair target for submarines. None, however, dared attack her; for she bristled with torpedo defence guns, and was surrounded by destroyers. By twenty minutes past twelve the _Attack_ overtook the _Princess Royal_, on which Admiral Beatty hoisted his flag. He now discovered that his squadron had broken off the fight, and was retiring northwards. We do not know exactly why the enemy was not followed up; but as the British ships were then only forty miles from the minefield, it is probable that the admiral in temporary command thought that his vessels would be endangered if he proceeded any further. After orders had been given to clear away and make for port, the grimy stokers of the _Princess Royal_ swarmed on deck and greeted Admiral Beatty with a shout of "Well done, David!" * * * * *