Великий военный синдикат

           Buttheironscrew-propellershadscarcelybeguntomoveintheoppositedirection,beforethetwocrabs,eachnowlyingatrightangleswiththelengthoftheship,butneitherofthemdirectlyasternofher,madeadashwithopennippers,andCrabJfastenedupononepropeller,whileCrabKlaidholdoftheother.Therewasadinandcrashofbreakingmetal,twoshockswhichwerefeltthroughoutthevessel,andtheshatteredandcrushedbladesofthepropellersofthegreatbattleshipwerepowerlesstomoveher.ThecaptainoftheAdamant,pallidwithfury,stooduponthepoop.Inamomentthecrabswouldbeathisrudder!Thegreatgun,double-shottedandreadytofire,washangingfromitsboomoverthestern.CrabK,whoseroofhadtheadditionalprotectionofspringarmour,nowmovedroundsoastobedirectlyasternoftheAdamant.Beforeshecouldreachtherudder,herforwardpartcameunderthesuspendedcannon,andtwomassivesteelshotweredrivendownuponherwithaforcesufficienttosendthemthroughmassesofsolidrock;butfromthesurfaceofelasticsteelspringsandair-bufferstheybouncedupward,oneofthemalmostfallingonthedeckoftheAdamant.Thegunnersofthispiecehadbeenwelltrained.Inamomenttheboomwasswungaround,thecannonreloaded,andwhenCrabKfixedhernippersontherudderoftheAdamant,twomoreshotcamedownuponher.