s audacity.

The captain gave one sardonic laugh, and a shrug of his shoulders, but
vouchsafed no reply.

Hearing one of the officers give some order about Whitehead torpedoes, I
ran to the room where these monsters were kept. I was just in time to
see one lifted on to a species of carriage and wheeled to the side of
the ship. Here a powerful air-pump was set to work, and the torpedo's
lungs were filled almost to the bursting point. Its deadly head--
brought from the magazine--was at the same time attached to its body.
Another instant and a port was thrown open in the _Thunderer's_ side,
through which the Whitehead was launched. It went with a sluggish
plunge into the sea. While it was in the act of passing out a trigger
was touched which set the pneumatic engines agoing. The
screw-propelling tail twirled, and the monster, descending ten feet
below the surface, sped on its mission. I rushed on deck. The
air-bubbles showed me that the engine of destruction had been aimed at
the Russian frigate. In a few seconds it had closed with it. I could
see that there was terrible consternation on board. Next moment a
fountain of foam shot from the deep and partially obscured the frigate.
I saw men leaping overboard and spars falling for a few moments, then
the frigate lurched heavily to port and went head foremost to the
bottom.

I stood gazing in a species of horrified abstraction, from which I was
recalled by some of our men running to the side of the vessel. They
were about to lower the steam-launch. It was to be sent out as a
torpedo-boat, and young Firebrand, whom I now observed for the first
time, took command.

Just then a torpedo-boat was seen to quit the side of the Russian. We
were ready for her. Our largest Gatling gun had been hoisted to that
platform on our mast which is styled the "top."

When within range this weapon commenced firing. It was absolutely
horrible. One man turned a handle at the breech, another kept supplying
the self-acting cartridge-box. As the handle was turned the cartridges
dropped into their places and exploded. Six or nine tubes, I forget
which, were thus made to rain bullets without intermission. They fell
on the screen of the advancing torpedo-boat like hail, but quite
harmlessly. Then I heard a voice within the fore-turret give a command
which sounded like "Extreme depression." It was quickly followed by
"Fire!" and the _Thunderer_ quivered from keel to truck under