For a little more than ten minutes the _Vindictive_ held on a course that ought to have brought her off the entrance to the harbour. Anxiously those responsible for navigating her kept a sharp look-out, in the hope of sighting the now familiar piers. Then, as the entrance was obviously missed, the ship altered course to west'ard, keeping parallel to the shore and maintaining a speed of only nine knots. After a while orders were given to alter course sixteen points to starboard, which meant that the ship would retrace her course and steer eastwards. Again the elusive harbour was missed, and once more a course was shaped to the westward. In the midst of this serious game of maritime blindman's buff--for it was possible to see only three hundred yards or so owing to the density of the fog and smoke--the entrance suddenly came into view at one cable's length distant on the port beam. It was now neck or nothing. Orders were given to "prepare to abandon ship", the officers on the bridge retired into the conning-tower in order to con the ship with the least risk (as if such a condition were possible), and the _Vindictive_ was steered straight for the harbour entrance. Directly the _Vindictive_ sighted the shore the hostile batteries sighted her. Instantly a terrific cannonade was opened upon the ship. In the midst of the terrific hammering, which shook the staunch old vessel from stem to stern, a petty officer came tearing along the deck. "You hands fall in abaft the conning-tower," he shouted, addressing Seton and Branscombe. "Communication's broken down. You're wanted to convey orders to the engine-room. Look alive!" There was no delay on the part of Alec and his chum to execute the order. At last they were doing something useful instead of remaining inactive in the battery, waiting to take the place of any casualties. It was a dangerous post, for there was little or no protection without the conning-tower, which was one of the principal objectives of the German gunners. The ship was still forging ahead, slowly but steadily. The air was thick with fragments of flying metal, as shells burst in, over, and around her. At last! Literally making her way through a tornado of shot and shell, the _Vindictive_ passed between the pier-heads. Smoke, pouring from her engine- and boiler-rooms, mingled with the vapour from bursting projectiles. Happen what might, the block-ship was inside the harbour and success was within reach. It was now necessary to alter course, and since communication between the conning-tower and the steering-flat had been interrupted, Commander Godsal, quitting the doubtful shelter of the conning-tower, stepped outside and shouted for hard-a-starboard. By this time the din was absolutely terrific. Seton, standing at the foot of the bridge-ladder, was unable to hear a word of the captain's order. He made a rush to ascend and get instructions. "Pass the word for hard-a-starboard," shouted the captain again.