Великий военный синдикат

           ThiscoursehadbeenhighlyprejudicialtotheclaimsoftheSyndicate,forasRepellerNo.7hadmadenouseinthecontestwiththeAdamantofthemotor-bombswithwhichshewassaidtobesupplied,itwasgenerallybelievedonbothsidesoftheAtlanticthatshecarriednosuchbombs,andtheconvictionthatthedestructionattheCanadianporthadbeeneffectedbymeansofminescontinuedasstrongasithadeverbeen.Tocorrectthesefalseideaswas,nowthedutyofRepellerNo.11.ForsometimeGreatBritainhadbeensteadilyforwardingtroopsandmunitionsofwartoCanada,withoutinterruptionfromherenemy.OnlyoncehadtheSyndicate’svesselsappearedabovetheBanksofNewfoundland,andasthenumberofthesepeculiarcraftmustnecessarilybesmall,itwasnotsupposedthattheirlineofoperationswouldbeextendedveryfarnorth,andnodangerfromthemwasapprehended,providedtheEnglishvesselslaidtheircourseswelltothenorth.ShortlybeforethesailingofRepellerNo.11,theSyndicatehadreceivednewsthatoneofthelargesttransatlanticmailsteamers,loadedwithtroopsandwithheavycannonforCanadianfortifications,andaccompaniedbytheCraglevin,oneofthelargestironcladsintheRoyalNavy,hadstartedacrosstheAtlantic.Thefirstbusinessoftherepellerandherattendantcrabsconcernedthesetwovessels.Owingtothepowerandspeedofthecrabswhichtowedher,RepellerNo.11madeexcellenttime;andonthemorningofthethirddayoutthetwoBritishvesselsweresighted.SomewhatalteringtheircoursetheSyndicate’svesselsweresoonwithinafewmilesoftheenemy.