an upon a crab, that he forebore to fire upon
the two vessels of that class which were approaching him. Some of his
guns were so mounted that their muzzles could be greatly depressed, and
aimed at an object in the water not far from the ship. But these were
not discharged, and, indeed, the crabs, which were new ones of unusual
swiftness, were alongside the Adamant in an incredibly short time, and
out of the range of these guns.

Crab J was on the starboard side of the Adamant, Crab K was on the port
side, and, simultaneously, the two laid hold of her. But they were not
directly astern of the great vessel. Each had its nippers fastened to
one side of the stern-jacket, near the hinge-like bolts which held it
to the vessel, and on which it was raised and lowered.

In a moment the Adamant began to steam backward; but the only effect of
this motion, which soon became rapid, was to swing the crabs around
against her sides, and carry them with her. As the vessels were thus
moving the great pincers of the crabs were twisted with tremendous
force, the stern-jacket on one side was broken from its bolt, and on
the other the bolt itself was drawn out of the side of the vessel. The
nippers then opened, and the stern-jacket fell from their grasp into
the sea, snapping in its fall the chain by which it had been raised and
lowered.

This disaster occurred so quickly that few persons on board the Adamant
knew what had happened. But the captain, who had seen everything, gave
instant orders to go ahead at full speed. The first thing to be done
was to get at a distance from those crabs, keep well away from them,
and pound them to pieces with his heavy guns.

But the iron screw-propellers had scarcely begun to move in the
opposite direction, before the two crabs, each now lying at right
angles with the length of the ship, but neither of them directly astern
of her, made a dash with open nippers, and Crab J fastened upon one
propeller, while Crab K laid hold of the other. There was a din and
crash of breaking metal, two shocks which were felt throughout the
vessel, and the shattered and crushed blades of the propellers of the
great battleship were powerless to move her.

The captain of the Adamant, pallid with fury, stood upon the poop. In
a moment the crabs would be at his rudder! The great gun,
double-shotted and ready to fire, was hanging from its boom over the
stern. Crab K, whose roof had the additional protection of sp