the great war syndicate-第16章

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now　the　British　captain　would　see　the　uselessness　of

continued　resistance。

　　

　But　the　British　captain　saw　nothing　of　the　kind；

and　shot　after　shot　from　his　guns　were　hurled　high　into

the　air；　in　hopes　that　the　great　curves　described　would

bring　some　of　them　down　on　the　deck　of　the　repeller。　

If　this　beastly　store…ship；　which　could　stand　fire　but

never　returned　it；　could　be　sunk；　the　Adamant's

captain　would　be　happy。　　With　the　exception　of　the　loss

of　her　motive　power；　his　vessel　was　intact；　and　if　the

stupid　crab　would　only　continue　to　keep　the　Adamant's

head　to　the　sea　until　the　noise　of　her　cannonade　should

attract　some　other　British　vessel　to　the　scene；　the

condition　of　affairs　might　be　altered。

　　　

All　that　day　the　great　guns　of　the　Adamant

continued　to　roar。　　The　next　morning；　however；　the

firing　was　not　resumed；　and　the　officers　of　the

repeller　were　greatly　surprised　to　see　approaching　from

the　British　ship　a　boat　carrying　a　white　flag。　　This

was　a　very　welcome　sight；　and　the　arrival　of　the　boat

was　awaited　with　eager　interest。

　　　

During　the　night　a　council　had　been　held　on　board

the　Adamant。　　Her　cannonading　had　had　no　effect；

either　in　bringing　assistance　or　in　injuring　the　enemy；

she　was　being　towed　steadily　southward　farther　and

farther　from　the　probable　neighbourhood　of　a　British

man…of…war；　and　it　was　agreed　that　it　would　be　the　part

of　wisdom　to　come　to　terms　with　the　Syndicate's　vessel。

　　　

Therefore　the　captain　of　the　Adamant　sent　a

letter　to　the　repeller；　in　which　he　stated　to　the

persons　in　charge　of　that　ship；　that　although　his

vessel　had　been　injured　in　a　manner　totally　at　variance

with　the　rules　of　naval　warfare；　he　would　overlook　this

fact　and　would　agree　to　cease　firing　upon　the

Syndicate's　vessels；　provided　that　the　submerged　craft

which　was　now　made　fast　to　his　vessel　should　attach

itself　to　the　Adamant's　bow；　and　by　means　of　a

suitable　cable　which　she　would　furnish；　would　tow　her

into　British　waters。　　If　this　were　done　he　would

guarantee　that　the　towing　craft　should　have　six　hours

in　which　to　get　away。

　　　

When　this　letter　was　read　on　board　the　repeller　it

created　considerable　merriment；　and　an　answer　was　sent

back　that　no　conditions　but　those　of　absolute

surrender　could　be　received　from　the　British　ship。

　　　

In　three　minutes　after　this　answer　had　been

received　by　the　captain　of　the　Adamant；　two　shells

went　whirring　and　shrieking　through　the　air　toward

Repeller　No。　7；　and　after　that　the　cannonading　from　the

bow；　the　stern；　the　starboard；　and　the　port　guns　of　the

great　battle…ship　went　on　whenever　there　was　a　visible

object　on　the　ocean　which　looked　in　the　least　like　an

American　coasting　vessel　or　man…of…war。

　　　

For　a　week　Crab　K　towed　steadily　to　the　south　this

blazing　and　thundering　marine　citadel；　and　then　the

crab　signalled　to　the　still　accompanying　repeller　that

it　must　be　relieved。　　It　had　not　been　fitted　out　for　so

long　a　cruise；　and　supplies　were　getting　low。

　　　

The　Syndicate；　which　had　been　kept　informed　of　all

the　details　of　this　affair；　had　already　perceived　the

necessity　of　relieving　Crab　K；　and　another　crab；　well

provisioned　and　fitted　out；　was　already　on　the　way　to

take　its　place。　　This　was　Crab　C；　possessing　powerful

engines；　but　in　point　of　roof　armour　the　weakest　of　its

class。　　It　could　be　better　spared　than　any　other　crab

to　tow　the　Adamant；　and　as　the　British　ship　had

not；　and　probably　could　not；　put　out　another　suspended

cannon；　it　was　considered　quite　suitable　for　the

service　required。

　　　

But　when　Crab　C　came　within　half　a　mile　of　the

Adamant　it　stopped。　　It　was　evident　that　on　board　the

British　ship　a　steady　lookout　had　been　maintained　for

the　approach　of　fresh　crabs；　for　several　enormous　shell

and　shot　from　heavy　guns；　which　had　been　trained　upward

at　a　high　angle；　now　fell　into　the　sea　a　short　distance

from　the　crab。

　　　

Crab　C　would　not　have　feared　these　heavy　shot　had

they　been　fired　from　an　ordinary　elevation；　and

although　no　other　vessel　in　the　Syndicate's　service

would　have　hesitated　to　run　the　terrible　gauntlet；　this

one；　by　reason　of　errors　in　construction；　being　less

able　than　any　other　crab　to　resist　the　fall　from　a

great　height　of　ponderous　shot　and　shell；　thought　it

prudent　not　to　venture　into　this　rain　of　iron；　and；

moving　rapidly　beyond　the　line　of　danger；　it　attempted

to　approach　the　Adamant　from　another　quarter。　　If　it

could　get　within　the　circle　of　falling　shot　it　would　be

safe。　　But　this　it　could　not　do。　　On　all　sides　of　the

Adamant　guns　had　been　trained　to　drop　shot　and

shells　at　a　distance　of　half　a　mile　from　the　ship。

　　　

Around　and　around　the　mighty　ironclad　steamed　Crab

C；　but　wherever　she　went　her　presence　was　betrayed　to

the　fine　glasses　on　board　the　Adamant　by　the　bit　of

her　shining　back　and　the　ripple　about　it；　and　ever

between　her　and　the　ship　came　down　that　hail　of　iron　in

masses　of　a　quarter　ton；　half　ton；　or　nearly　a　whole

ton。　　Crab　C　could　not　venture　under　these；　and　all　day

she　accompanied　the　Adamant　on　her　voyage　south；

dashing　to　this　side　and　that；　and　looking　for　the

chance　that　did　not　come；　for　all　day　the　cannon　of　the

battle…ship　roared　at　her　wherever　she　might　be。

　　

　The　inmates　of　Crab　K　were　now　very　restive　and

uneasy；　for　they　were　on　short　rations；　both　of　food

and　water。　　They　would　have　been　glad　enough　to　cast

loose　from　the　Adamant；　and　leave　the　spiteful　ship

to　roll　to　her　heart's　content；　broadside　to　the　sea。　

They　did　not　fear　to　run　their　vessel；　with　its　thick

roofplates　protected　by　spring　armour；　through　the

heaviest　cannonade。

　　　

But　signals　from　the　repeller　commanded　them　to

stay　by　the　Adamant　as　long　as　they　could　hold

out；　and　they　were　obliged　to　content　themselves　with　a

hope　that　when　night　fell　the　other　crab　would　be　able

to　get　in　under　the　stern　of　the　Adamant；　and　make

the　desired　exchange。

　　　

But　to　the　great　discomfiture　of　the　Syndicate's

forces；　darkness　had　scarcely　come　on　before　four

enormous　electric　lights　blazed　high　up　on　the　single

lofty　mast　of　the　Adamant；　lighting　up　the　ocean　for

a　mile　on　every　side　of　the　ship。　　It　was　of　no　more

use　for　Crab　C　to　try　to　get　in　now　than　in　broad

daylight；　and　all　night　the　great　guns　roared；　and　the

little　crab　manoeuvred。

　　　

The　next　morning　a　heavy　fog　fell　upon　the　sea；　and

the　battle…ship　and　Crab　C　were　completely　shut　out　of

sight　of　each　other。　　Now　the　cannon　of　the　Adamant

were　silent；　for　the　only　result　of　firing　would　be　to

indicate　to　the　crab　the　location　of　the　British　ship。　

The　smoke…signals　of　the　towing　crab　could　not　be　seen

through　the　fog　by　her　consorts；　and　she　seemed　to　be

incapable　of　making　signals　by　sound。　　Therefore　the

commander　of　the　Adamant　thought　it　likely　that　until

the　fog　rose　the　crab　could　not　find　his　ship。

　　　

What　that　other　crab　intended　to　do　could　be；　of

course；　on　board　the　Adamant；　only　a　surmise；　but　it

was　believed　that　she　would　bring　with　her　a　torpedo　to

be　exploded　under　the　British　ship。　　That　one　crab

should　tow　her　away　from　possible　aid　until　another

should　bring　a　torpedo　to　fasten　to　her　stern…post

seemed　a　reasonable　explanation　of　the　action　of　the

Syndicate's　vessels。

　　　

The　officers　of　the　Adamant　little　understood　the

resources　and　intentions　of　their　opponents。　　Every

vessel　of　the　Syndicate　carried　a　magnetic　indicator；

which　was　designed　to　prevent　collisions　with　iron

vessels。　　This　little　instrument　was　placed　at　night

and　during　fogs　at　the　bow　of　the　vessel；　and　a

delicate　arm　of　steel；　which　ordinarily　pointed　upward

at　a　considerable　angle；　fell　into　a　horizontal

position　when　any　large　body　of　iron　approached　within

a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and；　so　falling；　rang　a　small

bell。　　Its　point　then　turned　toward　the　mass　of　iron。

　　　

Soon　after　the　fog　came　on；　one　of　these

indicato