Великий военный синдикат

           Themotor-bombwasthenplacedinoneofthegreatguns,whilethescientificcorpsattendedtothenecessarycalculationsofdistance,etc.ThedirectornowturnedtotheBritishcaptain,whohadbeenobservingeverythingwiththegreatestinterest,and,withasmile,askedhimifhewouldliketocommithari-kari?Asthisremarkwassomewhatenigmatical,thedirectorwentontosaythatifitwouldbeanygratificationtothecaptaintodestroyhisvesselwithhisownhands,insteadofallowingthistobedonebyanenemy,hewasatlibertytodoso.Thisofferwasimmediatelyaccepted,forifhisshipwasreallytobedestroyed,thecaptainfeltthathewouldliketodoithimself.Whenthecalculationshadbeenmadeandtheindicatorset,thecaptainwasshownthebuttonhemustpress,andstoodwaitingforthesignal.HelookedovertheseaattheCraglevin,whichhadsettledalittleatthestern,andwasrollingheavily;butshewasstillamagnificentbattleship,withtheredcrossofEnglandfloatingoverher.Hecouldnothelpthethoughtthatifthismotormysteryshouldamounttonothing,therewasnoreasonwhytheCraglevinshouldnotbetowedintoport,andbemadeagainthegrandwarshipthatshehadbeen.Nowthedirectorgavethesignal,andthecaptain,withhiseyesfixeduponhisship,touchedthebutton.Aquickshockranthroughtherepeller,andablack-graycloud,halfamilehigh,occupiedtheplaceoftheBritishship.Thecloudrapidlysettleddown,coveringthewaterwithaglitteringscumwhichspreadfarandwide,andwhichhadbeentheCraglevin.