s have as yet been barely broached--we make the best of our way
forthwith _to the North Pole_, there to enjoy a little of the choice
sport which we may reasonably hope to find among animals that have never
yet seen the face of man."

"A most admirable proposal, and one which we are especially well adapted
to successfully carry out," exclaimed the professor enthusiastically.
The colonel and Mildmay also gave their cordial assent to the plan.

"Very well, then; that is settled," remarked von Schalckenberg. "Now,
to revert for a moment to the subject of the wreck. You have not been
on board her, as I have; but, even with the comparatively distant view
you have had of her, I think you must have seen that she is injured
beyond all possibility of repair; to say nothing of the fact that she is
lying in a spot from which it would be difficult--quite impossible,
indeed, without our assistance--to recover her. Now, it has occurred to
me that, all things taken into consideration, it would be a good deed to
destroy her. What say you, gentlemen? It would afford us an excellent
opportunity for making trial of one of our shells."

"Destroy her, by all means," said the baronet.

"I can see no possible objection," observed the colonel.

"Nor I," remarked Mildmay. "As to assisting in her recovery, I would
not stir so much as my little finger to do it; she has already drowned
some five hundred human beings, which is quite enough mischief for one
ship."

"Quite so," coincided the professor. "Then we will do the deed after
dinner."

Accordingly, half an hour later, the party rose from the table and made
their way to the pilot-house, where the professor delivered a little
lecture on the mode of firing the shells. Then, accompanied by the
colonel, who had proffered his assistance, von Schalckenberg proceeded
to the fore end of the ship to make the requisite arrangements. It
being a first experiment, the preparation occupied fully ten minutes--or
ten times as long as he should allow himself in future, the professor
remarked. Then, all being ready, a return was made to the pilothouse;
the anchors were withdrawn from the ground, and the _Flying Fish_ was
got under weigh. The monster circled once or twice round the doomed
wreck, seeking the most suitable point of attack, which having been
decided upon, the sharp nose of the submarine ship was pointed straight
at the _Daedalus_, and the professor touched a knob. At the same
ins