Великий военный синдикат

           Ashasbeensaid,theLlangaroncamerushingon,distancingeverything,eventhetorpedo-boats.If,beforeshewasobligedtolowerhercylinder,shecouldgetnearenoughtothealmoststationaryrepellertotakepartintheattackonher,shewouldthenbecontenttoslackenspeedandletthecrabsnibbleawhileatherstern.Twoofthelatestconstructedandlargestcrabs,QandR,headedatfullspeedtomeettheLlangaron,who,asshecameon,openedtheballbysendinga"rattler"intheshapeofafive-hundred-poundshotintotheribsoftherepeller,thenatleastfourmilesdistant,andimmediatelyafterbeganfiringherdynamiteguns,whichwereoflimitedrangeattheroofsoftheadvancingcrabs.Thereweresomeonboardtherepellerwho,atthemomentthegreatshotstruckher,witharingingandclangourofsteelsprings,suchasneverwasheardbefore,wishedthatinherformerstateofexistenceshehadbeensomeothervesselthantheTallapoosa.Buteveryspringsprangbacktoitsplaceasthegreatmassofironglancedoffintothesea.Thedynamitebombsflewoverthetopsofthecrabs,whoserapidmotionsandslightlyexposedsurfacesgavelittlechanceforaccurateaim,andinashorttimetheyweretooclosetotheLlangaronforthisclassofguntobeuseduponthem.Asthecrabscamenearer,theLlangaronloweredthegreatsteelcylinderwhichhungacrossherstern,untilitlayalmostentirelyunderwater,andabaftofherrudderandpropeller-blades.Shenowmovedslowlythroughthewater,andhermengreetedtheadvancingcrabswithyellsofdefiance,andashowerofshotfrommachineguns.