at the cannonading from the bow, the
stern, the starboard, and the port guns of the great battle-ship went
on whenever there was a visible object on the ocean which looked in the
least like an American coasting vessel or man-of-war.

For a week Crab K towed steadily to the south this blazing and
thundering marine citadel; and then the crab signalled to the still
accompanying repeller that it must be relieved. It had not been fitted
out for so long a cruise, and supplies were getting low.

The Syndicate, which had been kept informed of all the details of this
affair, had already perceived the necessity of relieving Crab K, and
another crab, well provisioned and fitted out, was already on the way
to take its place. This was Crab C, possessing powerful engines, but
in point of roof armour the weakest of its class. It could be better
spared than any other crab to tow the Adamant, and as the British ship
had not, and probably could not, put out another suspended cannon, it
was considered quite suitable for the service required.

But when Crab C came within half a mile of the Adamant it stopped. It
was evident that on board the British ship a steady lookout had been
maintained for the approach of fresh crabs, for several enormous shell
and shot from heavy guns, which had been trained upward at a high
angle, now fell into the sea a short distance from the crab.

Crab C would not have feared these heavy shot had they been fired from
an ordinary elevation; and although no other vessel in the Syndicate's
service would have hesitated to run the terrible gauntlet, this one, by
reason of errors in construction, being less able than any other crab
to resist the fall from a great height of ponderous shot and shell,
thought it prudent not to venture into this rain of iron; and, moving
rapidly beyond the line of danger, it attempted to approach the Adamant
from another quarter. If it could get within the circle of falling
shot it would be safe. But this it could not do. On all sides of the
Adamant guns had been trained to drop shot and shells at a distance of
half a mile from the ship.

Around and around the mighty ironclad steamed Crab C; but wherever she
went her presence was betrayed to the fine glasses on board the Adamant
by the bit of her shining back and the ripple about it; and ever
between her and the ship came down that hail of iron in masses of a
quarter ton, half ton, or nearly a whole ton. Crab C could not ventu