Великий военный синдикат

           Itwas,therefore,earnestlyurgedthatthismanbeinstantlyremoved;andinorderthatthismightbedone,thedischargeofthemotor-bombwouldbepostponedhalfanhour.Theofficerreceivedthismessage,andwasdisposedtolookuponitasanewtrick;butasnotimewastobelost,hesentacorporal’sguardtothefort,andtherediscoveredanIrishsergeantbythenameofKilsey,whohadswornanoaththatifeveryothermaninthefortranawaylikealotofaddle-patedsheep,hewouldnotrunwiththem;hewouldstandtohisposttothelast,andwhenthecoupleofshipsoutsidehadgotthroughbombardingthestoutwallsofthefort,theworldwouldseethattherewasatleastoneBritishsoldierwhowasnotafraidofabomb,beitlittleorbig.Thereforehehadmanagedtoeludeobservation,andtoremainbehind.Thesergeantwassohot-headedinhisdeterminationtostandbythefort,thatitrequiredviolencetoremovehim;anditwasnotuntiltwentyminutespastfourthattheSyndicateobserversperceivedthathehadbeentakentothehillbehindwhichthegarrisonwasencamped.AsithadbeendecidedthatRepellerNo.2shoulddischargethenextinstantaneousmotor-bomb,therewasananxiousdesireonthepartoftheoperatorsonthatvesselthatinthis,theirfirstexperience,theymightdotheirdutyaswellastheircomradesonboardtheotherrepellerhaddonetheirs.Themostaccurateobservations,themostcarefulcalculations,weremadeandre-made,thepointtobeaimedatbeingaboutthecentreofthefort.