Великий военный синдикат

           TheCraglevinwasamagnificentwarship.ShewasnotquitesolargeastheAdamant,andshewasunprovidedwithastern-jacketorotherdefenceofthekind.InsendingherouttheAdmiraltyhaddesignedhertodefendthetransportagainsttheregularvesselsoftheUnitedStatesnavy;foralthoughthenatureofthecontractwiththeSyndicatewaswellunderstoodinEngland,itwasnotsupposedthattheAmericanGovernmentwouldlongconsenttoallowtheirwarvesselstoremainentirelyidle.WhenthecaptainoftheCraglevinperceivedtheapproachoftherepellerhewasmuchsurprised,buthedidnothesitateforamomentastohiscourse.Hesignalledtothetransport,thenaboutamiletothenorth,tokeeponherwaywhilehesteeredtomeettheenemy.IthadbeendecidedinBritishnavalcirclesthattheproperthingtodoinregardtoarepellerwastoramherasquicklyaspossible.Thesevesselswerenecessarilyslowandunwieldy,andifaheavyironcladcouldkeepclearofcrabslongenoughtorushdownuponone,therewaseveryreasontobelievethatthe"ball-bouncer,"astherepellerswerecalledbyBritishsailors,couldbecrushedinbelowthewater-lineandsunk.So,fullofcourageanddetermination,thecaptainoftheCraglevinboredownupontherepeller.Itisnotnecessarytoenterintodetailsoftheensuingaction.BeforetheCraglevinwaswithinhalfamileofherenemyshewasseizedbytwocrabs,allofwhichhadcastloosefromtherepeller,andinlessthantwentyminutesbothofherscrewswereextractedandherruddershattered.