Великий военный синдикат

           Soonafterwardtheheadofthebayseemedmadlyrushingouttosea,butquicklysurgedbacktofillthechasmwhichyawnedatthespotwherethevillagehadbeen.Thedensecloudswerenowupheavedatsuchshortintervalsthatthesceneofdevastationwascompletelyshutoutfromtheobserversonthehills;buteveryfewminutestheyfeltasickeningshock,andheardamomentaryandhorriblecrashandhisswhichseemedtofillalltheair.Theinstantaneousmotor-bombsweretearingupthesea-board,andgrindingittoatoms.Itwasnotyetnoonwhenthebombardmentceased.Nomorepuffsofblacksmokecameupfromthedistantrepeller,andthevastspreadingmassofcloudsmovedseaward,droppingdownuponSt.George’sChannelinarainofstonedust.Thentherepellersteamedshoreward,andwhenshewaswithinthreeorfourmilesofthecoastsheranupalargewhiteflagintokenthathertaskwasended.Thissignthatthebombardmenthadceasedwasacceptedingoodfaith;andassomeofthemilitaryandnavalmenhadcarefullynotedthateachpufffromtherepellerwasaccompaniedbyashock,itwasconsideredcertainthatallthebombswhichhadbeendischargedhadacted,andthat,consequently,nofurtherdangerwastobeapprehendedfromthem.Inspiteofthisannouncementmanyofthespectatorswouldnotleavetheirpositiononthehills,butahundredormoreofcuriousandcourageousmenventureddownintotheplain.Thatpartofthesea-coastwhereCaerdaffhadbeenwasanewcountry,aboutwhichmenwanderedslowlyandcautiouslywithsuddenexclamations,ofamazementandawe.