side. There
the connecting-rod jammed. Meantime, the after-engine, being as yet
unembarrassed, went on with its work, and in so doing brought round at
its next revolution the crank of the forward engine, which smote the
already jammed connecting-rod, bending it and therewith the piston-rod
cross-head--the big cross-piece that slides up and down so smoothly.

The cross-head jammed sideways in the guides, and, in addition
to putting further pressure on the already broken starboard
supporting-column, cracked the port, or left-hand, supporting-column
in two or three places. There being nothing more that could be made to
move, the engines brought up, all standing, with a hiccup that seemed
to lift the Haliotis a foot out of the water; and the engine-room
staff, opening every steam outlet that they could find in the confusion,
arrived on deck somewhat scalded, but calm. There was a sound below of
things happening--a rushing, clicking, purring, grunting, rattling noise
that did not last for more than a minute. It was the machinery adjusting
itself, on the spur of the moment, to a hundred altered conditions. Mr.
Wardrop, one foot on the upper grating, inclined his ear sideways, and
groaned. You cannot stop engines working at twelve knots an hour in
three seconds without disorganising them. The Haliotis slid forward in
a cloud of steam, shrieking like a wounded horse. There was nothing
more to do. The five-inch shell with a reduced charge had settled the
situation. And when you are full, all three holds, of strictly preserved
pearls; when you have cleaned out the Tanna Bank, the Sea-Horse Bank,
and four other banks from one end to the other of the Amanala Sea--when
you have ripped out the very heart of a rich Government monopoly so that
five years will not repair your wrong-doings--you must smile and take
what is in store. But the skipper reflected, as a launch put out from
the man-of-war, that he had been bombarded on the high seas, with the
British flag--several of them--picturesquely disposed above him, and
tried to find comfort from the thought.

"Where," said the stolid naval lieutenant hoisting himself aboard, "where
are those dam' pearls?"

They were there beyond evasion. No affidavit could do away with
the fearful smell of decayed oysters, the diving-dresses, and the
shell-littered hatches. They were there to the value of seventy thousand
pounds, more or less; and every pound poached.

The man-of-war was annoyed; fo