So perished the _Leipzig_, not less gallantly, but as condignly as the _Scharnhorst_ and _Gneisenau_, news of {78} whose destruction had been wirelessed to the _Cornwall_ and _Glasgow_. Whatever might happen now, victory was assured; the _Good Hope_ and _Monmouth_ had been amply avenged; and to the _Cornwall_ and _Glasgow_, buffeting home to Port Stanley, few happier moments were likely to come. Into the feelings of Captain Luce it would be impertinent to pry; but a little may be guessed, perhaps, from what follows. "About half an hour ago," said one of his crew, writing home on December 11th, "the Captain made a speech, or rather tried to, but failed. He first of all read out the King's message to the Fleet, and then tried to say a few words himself; 'I have seen the _Glasgow's_ ship's company fight twice, and I thank you for the way in which you fought. I couldn't have a better ship's company.' Then he said, 'I can't say any more.'" That is to leap forward, however, three days and to leave the _Kent_ still ploughing after the _Nürnberg_--out of sight of everybody now and with the impossible task of making a doubtful 20-knot vessel catch one five knots faster; and not only overtake her, but bring her to action, with the weather changing and darkness not far off. But to the engine-room staff of the _Kent_ and to her stokers no less than to Captain Allen--"Sink-her" Allen, they called him--the word impossible, for to-night at least, might not be whispered with impunity. There was the _Nürnberg_ flushed from Coronel, and here was the _Kent_ with her fourteen good guns; coal might be short and the engines in their second childhood, but if those guns did not find the _Nürnberg_, it would not be the fault of the engine-room. First out of harbour in the {79} early morning, a spirit of extreme cheerfulness seems to have reigned in the _Kent_ from the beginning of the action. Thus, at half-past ten, we find her officers drinking the toast of _Deutschland unter Alles_ in sloe-gin. Soon afterward they lunched; and then--as many of them as could be spared--established themselves on the top of the forward gun-turret to watch the fun.