ade preparations to thwart her. Close in the wake of
the boat the _Thunderer_ followed with the intent to run the Russian
down with her ram, which is a tremendous iron beak projecting, below
water, from her bow. The "dodge" was to dazzle the enemy with the
electric light, and, while her attention was concentrated on the
torpedo-boat, to "ram" her!

"Steady!" said Firebrand, in a deep voice.

Something else was replied by somebody in a deeper voice.

The boat ploughed on its way like a furious hornet.

"Fire!" shouted the Russians.

Instantly, from turret, bulwark, and mast-head leaped livid flames of
fire, and the sea was torn up by bullets, while fearful spouts were here
and there raised by shots from the heavy guns. Everything was
concentrated on the torpedo-boat. It was obvious that the dazzling
light at the mast-head of the _Thunderer_ had blinded her adversary as
to her own movements.

"Let drive!"

I heard the order of the Russian captain as distinctly as if I had been
on board his own ship, and was somewhat surprised at its being given in
slang English.

The result was a rain of musketry, which rattled on the iron armour of
the launch's protecting screen as the sticks rattle on a kettle-drum.

"Ready!" said Firebrand, with suppressed intensity.

As the boat drew near the Russian small shot was tearing up the sea like
a wintry storm. The order having been given, the torpedo-spars were
lowered, so that each torpedo sank ten feet under water.

"Fire!" yelled Firebrand.

Electricity was applied, both torpedoes exploded, and the launch sheered
off gallantly in cataracts of foam.

At the same moment the Russians observed us not ten yards distant,
coming stem on at full speed. Her turret guns were concentrated and
fired; so were ours. The crash was indescribably hideous, yet it was as
nothing compared with that which followed a few seconds later. Our ram,
entering the Russian fairly amidships, cut her almost in two. We backed
out instantly, intending to repeat the operation. Well was it for us
that we did so. We had just backed a few hundred yards astern, and
given the order to go ahead full steam, when the Russian's magazine
exploded. Our charge had somehow fired it. Instantly there was a
crashing roar as if heaven and earth had met in chaotic conflict. The
air was darkened with bursting clouds of blackest smoke, in the midst of
which beams, guns, pistons, boilers, armour-plates, human lim