There to
starboard, not more than five hundred feet away, loomed a giant
cruiser. From her stern tailrail trailed a familiar emblem.
"The Stars and Stripes!" exclaimed the youth as his comrades swarmed
up about him from the hold of the prison ship.
A glorious victory had been won by the allied fleets. All about the
_Monitor_ were warships of the American, English, and French nations.
Reducing the land fortifications after a terrific bombardment, the
combined fleet had "rushed" the harbor in the wake of their
mine-sweepers, engaged and overwhelmed the larger units of the German
fleet there assembled, and driven some of the smaller craft into
the Zeebrugge Canal. Thousands of marines and blue-jackets, formed
into landing parties, had been set upon shore and were now taking
formal possession of the German stronghold.
"Hurrah for the _Monitor_!" the cry reverberated over the waters as
the plucky American submarine was made fast alongside the U.S.S.
_Chicago_ and the story of her night's exploits became heralded
about.
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