t, ribbed with brass
bands, being piled by the side of the various batteries, and nicely-made
cases of cartridges placed ready for the hoppers of the Nordenfeldts and
Gatlings. "How awfully jolly!"

The _Archimedes_, after taking her ammunition on board, had steamed out
seaward so as to get a good offing where she might fire her guns without
the risk of hitting any passing craft; and, by the time Bob had come on
deck again from inspecting the machinery, she was well beyond the Nab
light and far out into the waters of the Channel.

On the order being presently given to fire, the machine-guns went
popping away, to test how many shots they can fire off in a minute--the
report of some of them sounding like an asthmatic old gentleman with a
very bad cough.

"What a funny noise!" cried Bob--"Rover barks just the same when he's
asleep and dreaming!"

"Indeed!" said the young lieutenant, more intent, however, on watching a
party of blue-jackets getting ready a big gun for firing in the bows
than paying much attention to Bob. "Look out there, youngster!"

"What are they going to do, eh?" asked Bob--"all those sailors there!"

"Why, fire one of our forty-three ton guns; so you'd better look out for
squalls. Have you got any cotton-wool about you?"

"No," answered Bob. "What for?"

"To put in your ears, so as to deaden the noise of the report," said the
lieutenant. "I've got some, though, so it doesn't matter. Here's a bit
to stick in your ears--you'd better take my advice, it'll save your
tympanum!"

Bob did not know what he meant; but he put the cotton-wool in his ears,
as desired, on seeing Captain Dresser and some other officers standing
near doing the same, and that the lieutenant was not "taking a rise out
of him," as at first he was inclined to think.

The enormous gun, carrying a charge of two hundred and eighty pounds of
powder, with a shot weighing nearly a quarter of a ton, was now loaded;
when the officer directing the operation ordered all persons to move
away from the vicinity of the weapon, which was about to be fired for
the first time--at least on board the _Archimedes_.

Everybody retreated behind the armoured screen bulkhead that formed a
sort of "shelter trench" across the deck; for, if an accident should
happen in the way of an unexpected explosion, refuge might be had there
from any flying fragments.

Everybody, as has been said, at once, on the order being given, sought
this retreat--eve