d. Again the _Merrimac_ fired back, and the
great battle was on.

For two hours the iron ships fought like two mighty wrestlers of the
seas. Smoke filled the turret so that the men of the _Monitor_ did not
know how to aim their guns. The _Merrimac_ could fire three times to her
one, but not a ball took effect. It was like a battle in a cloud.

"Why are you not firing?" asked Lieutenant Jones of a gun captain.

"Why, powder is getting scarce," he replied, "and I find I can do that
whiffet as much harm by snapping my finger and thumb every three
minutes."

Then Lieutenant Jones tried to sink the _Monitor_. Five times the great
iron monster came rushing up upon the little Yankee craft, but each time
it glided easily away. But when the _Merrimac_ came up the sixth time
Captain Worden did not try to escape. The _Monitor_ waited for the blow.
Up rushed the _Merrimac_ at full speed and struck her a fierce blow.
But the iron armor did not give way, and the great ship rode up on the
little one's deck till she was lifted several feet.

The little _Monitor_ sank down under the _Merrimac_ till the water
washed across her deck; then she slid lightly out and rose up all right
again, while the _Merrimac_ started a leak in its own bow. At the same
moment one of the _Monitor's_ great guns was fired and the ball struck
the _Merrimac_, breaking the iron plates and bulging in the thick wood
backing.

Thus for hour after hour the fight went on. For six hours the iron ships
struggled and fought, but neither ship was much the worse, while nobody
was badly hurt.

The end of the fight came in this way: There was a little pilot-house on
the deck of the _Monitor_, with a slot in its side from which Captain
Worden watched what was going on, so that he could give orders to his
men. Up against this there came a shell that filled the face and eyes of
the captain with grains of powder and splinters of iron, and flung him
down blind and helpless. Blood poured from every pore of his face.

The same shot knocked an iron plate from the top of the pilot-house and
let in the daylight in a flood. When the light came pouring in Captain
Worden, with his blinded eyes, thought something very serious had
happened, and gave orders for the _Monitor_ to draw off to see what
damage was done.

Before she came back the _Merrimac_ was far away. She was leaking badly
and her officers thought it about time to steam away for home.

That was the end of the great