Великий военный синдикат

           Wheneveranair-pipehadbeenelevatedforthepurposeofusingthereinaspeaking-tube,avolleyfromamachine-gunontheAdamantwaspoureduponit,andafterseveralpipeshadbeenshotawaythedirectorofthecrabceasedhiseffortstoconferwiththoseontheironclad.Ithadbeennecessarytoplacetheoutletsoftheventilatingapparatusofthecrabundertheforwardendsofsomeoftheupperroof-plates.WhenCrabChadreceivedherorders,sheputabouttheprowofthegreatwarship,andproceededtotowhernorth-eastward,thecommanderoftheAdamanttakingapartingcrackwithhisheavieststern-gunatthevesselwhichhadbroughttheorderforhisrelease.AllthewayfromtheAmericancoasttotheBermudaIslands,thegreatAdamantblazed,thundered,androared,notonlybecausehercommandersaw,orfanciedhesaw,anAmericanvessel,buttonotifyallcrabs,repellers,andanyothervileinventionoftheenemythatmayhavebeenrecentlyputforthtoblemishthesacredsurfaceofthesea,thattheAdamantstillfloated,withtheheaviestcoatofmailandthefinestandmostcompletearmamentintheworld,readytosinkanythinghostilewhichcamenearenough—butnottoonear.WhenthecommanderfoundthathewasboundfortheBermudas,hedidnotunderstandit,unless,indeed,thoseislandshadbeencapturedbytheenemy.Buthedidnotstopfiring.Indeed,shouldhefindtheBermudasundertheAmericanflag,hewouldfireatthatflagandwhatevercarriedit,aslongasashotorashellorachargeofpowderremainedtohim.ButwhenhereachedBritishwaters,andslowlyenteringSt.