Великий военный синдикат

           ItisnowonderthatmanypeopleofsoberjudgmentinAmericalookedupontheaffairofthecrabsandtherepellersasbutanincidentinthebeginningofagreatanddisastrouswar.OnthemorningofthedestructionofFortPilcher,theSyndicate’svesselsmovedtowardtheport,andthesteelnetwastakenupbythetwocrabs,andmovednearerthemouthoftheharbour,atapointfromwhichthefort,nowinprocessofevacuation,wasinfullview.Whenthishadbeendone,RepellerNo.2tookupherpositionatamoderatedistancebehindthenet,andtheothervesselsstationedthemselvesnearby.Theprotectionofthenetwasconsiderednecessary,foralthoughtherecouldbenoreasonabledoubtthatallthetorpedoesintheharbourandriverhadbeenexploded,othersmightbesentoutagainsttheSyndicate’svessels;andatorpedounderacraborarepellerwastheenemymostfearedbytheSyndicate.Aboutthreeo’clockthesignalsbetweentherepellersbecameveryfrequent,andsoonafterwardsatruce-boatwentoutfromRepellerNo.1.Thiswasrowedwithgreatrapidity,butitwasobligedtogomuchfartheruptheharbourthanonpreviousoccasions,inordertodeliveritsmessagetoanofficerofthegarrison.ThiswastotheeffectthattheevacuationoftheforthadbeenobservedfromtheSyndicate’svessels,andalthoughithadbeenapparentlycomplete,oneofthescientificcorps,withapowerfulglass,haddiscoveredamaninoneoftheouterredoubts,whosepresencetherewasprobablyunknowntotheofficersofthegarrison.