Великий военный синдикат

           Againtheforcepsopenedwide;againtherewasarush;andthistimethehugejawsclosedupontherapidlyrevolvingscrew-propeller.Therewasatremendouscrash,andthesmallbutmassivecrabturnedoversofarthatforaninstantoneofitssideswasplainlyvisibleabovethewater.Thebladesofthepropellerwerecrushedandshivered;thosepartsofthesteamer’senginesconnectingwiththepropeller-shaftweresnappedandrentapart,whilethepropeller-shaftitselfwasbrokenbytheviolentstoppage.Thecrab,whichhadquicklyrighted,nowbacked,stillholdingthecrushedpropellerinitsirongrasp,andasitmovedawayfromtheScarabaeus,itextractedaboutfortyfeetofitspropeller-shaft;then,openingitsmassivejaws,itallowedtheuselessmassofirontodroptothebottomofthesea.EverymanonboardtheScarabaeuswaswildwithamazementandexcitement.Fewcouldcomprehendwhathadhappened,butthisveryquicklybecameevident.Sofarasmotivepowerwasconcerned,theScarabaeuswastotally,disabled.Shecouldnotdirecthercourse,forherrudderwasgone,herpropellerwasgone,herengineswereuseless,andshecoulddonomorethanfloataswindortidemightmoveher.Moreover,therewasajaggedholeinhersternwheretheshafthadbeen,andthroughthisthewaterwaspouringintothevessel.Asaman-of-wartheScarabaeuswasworthless.OrdersnowcamefastfromRepellerNo.1,whichhadmovednearertothesceneofconflict.