en exploded at times agreed upon
beforehand. All this was perfectly plain to the military authorities.

But the people of the city derived no comfort from the announcement of
these conclusions. For all that anybody knew the whole city might be
undermined, and at any moment might ascend in a cloud of minute
particles. They felt that they were in a region of hidden traitors and
bombs, and in consequence of this belief thousands of citizens left
their homes.

That afternoon a truce-boat again went out from Repeller No. 1, and
rowed to the fort, where a letter to the commandant was delivered.
This, like the other, demanded no answer, and the boat returned. Later
in the afternoon the two repellers, accompanied by the crabs, and
leaving the steel net still anchored in its place, retired a few miles
seaward, where they prepared to lay to for the night.

The letter brought by the truce-boat was read by the commandant,
surrounded by his officers. It stated that in twenty-four hours from
time of writing it, which would be at or about four o'clock on the next
afternoon, a bomb would be thrown into the garrisoned fort, under the
command of the officer addressed. As this would result in the entire
destruction of the fortification, the commandant was earnestly
counselled to evacuate the fort before the hour specified.

Ordinarily the commandant of the fort was of a calm and unexcitable
temperament. During the astounding events of that day and the day
before he had kept his head cool; his judgment, if not correct, was the
result of sober and earnest consideration. But now he lost his temper.
The unparalleled effrontery and impertinence of this demand of the
American Syndicate was too much for his self-possession. He stormed in
anger.

Here was the culmination of the knavish trickery of these
conscienceless pirates who had attacked the port. A torpedo had been
exploded in the harbour, an unfinished fort had been mined and blown
up, and all this had been done to frighten him--a British soldier--in
command of a strong fort well garrisoned and fully supplied with all
the munitions of war. In the fear that his fort would be destroyed by
a mystical bomb, he was expected to march to a place of safety with all
his forces. If this should be done it would not be long before these
crafty fellows would occupy the fort, and with its great guns turned
inland, would hold the city at their mercy. There could be no greater
insult to