"Upon my soul! that seems exactly what she intends to do, Tim." A low murmur of surprise arose from the crowd on the ramparts, who were eagerly watching the warships. It seemed as though _The Columbus_ was bent on her own destruction, for she came steaming straight ahead for the three ships of the Junta, insolently flying the red flag of Xuarez. "What the deuce does she mean," cried Tim, in perplexity. "Surely she can't mistake _The Iturbide_ for her consort." "Perhaps she intends to desert," suggested Jack. _The Columbus_ was now more within range, and though hitherto she had been silent under the fire of _The Iturbide_, she now began to speak in her turn, and a white line of smoke ran along her black sides as the balls came singing over the water. "Not much deserting about that," said Tim, grimly; "no! the rebels have some scheme in their heads." By this time Pedraza was thoroughly enraged at the insolence of this one ship attacking him single-handed, and signalled at once to the torpederas. The captain of _The Columbus_ saw that the signals ordered the boats to "up anchor," and acted accordingly. In a surprisingly short space of time the rebel ship had swung round, and with full steam ahead was standing out to sea. The ships of the Junta were taken by surprise at their manoeuvre, and it was fully a question of an hour before they started in pursuit. Tim shut his glass with a click. "Jack, I see it all. _The Columbus_ wants to get our boats out of the harbour so as to let _The Cortes_ and the transports slip in together." "Rather a risky game, Tim. She'll be overhauled and sunk by the torpederas in no time." "Not while she can keep them off with her heavy guns! What speed have the torpederas?" "Eighteen to nineteen knots." "And _The Columbus_?" "Well, Rafael says her ordinary speed is fifteen but in case of need she can crack up steam to eighteen." "Even that gives the torpederas one knot to the good. But she can outsteam _The Iturbide_." "Oh yes; sixteen is _her_ limit!" "Then I tell you what! _The Columbus_, as I said, has come here as a decoy--she knows the cruiser can't touch her speed, and she hopes to keep the torpederas at a safe distance with her heavy guns. She's off in a bee line straight out, and the other boats are after her. Then she'll dodge them and steam back here to find _The Cortes_ and the transports all safe in harbour." "I believe you are right, Tim." "Of course I'm right. Look at the way she's smoking through the water."