t of
Buffalo! Did not prudence forbid him to venture further? At each
moment, I expected that he would give a sweep of the helm and turn
away toward the western shore of the lake. Or else, I thought, he
would prepare to plunge beneath the surface. But this persistence in
holding our bow toward Buffalo was impossible to understand!

At length the helmsman, whose eyes were watching the northeastern
shore, made a sign to his companion. The latter, leaving the bow,
went to the central hatchway, and descended into the engine room.
Almost immediately the captain came on deck, and joining the
helmsman, spoke with him in a low voice.

The latter, extending his hand toward Buffalo, pointed out two black
spots, which showed five or six miles distant on the starboard side.
The captain studied them attentively. Then shrugging his shoulders,
he seated himself at the stern without altering the course of the
"Terror."

A quarter of an hour later, I could see plainly that there were two
smoke clouds at the point they had studied so carefully. Little by
little the black spots beneath these became more defined. They were
two long, low steamers, which, coming from the port of Buffalo, were
approaching rapidly.

Suddenly it struck me that these were the two torpedo destroyers of
which Mr. Ward had spoken, and which I had been told to summon in
case of need.

These destroyers were of the newest type, the swiftest boats yet
constructed in the country. Driven by powerful engines of the latest
make, they had covered almost thirty miles an hour. It is true, the
"Terror" commanded an even greater speed, and always, if she were
surrounded so that flight was impossible, she could submerge herself
out of reach of all pursuit. In truth, the destroyers would have had
to be submarines to attack the "Terror" with any chance of success.
And I know not, if even in that case, the contest would have been
equal.

Meanwhile, it seemed to me evident that the commanders of the two
ships had been warned, perhaps by Mr. Wells who, returning swiftly to
Toledo, might have telegraphed to them the news of our defeat. It
appeared, moreover, that they had seen the "Terror," for they were
headed at full speed toward her. Yet our captain, seemingly giving
them no thought whatever, continued his course toward the Niagara
River.

What would the torpedo destroyers do? Presumably, they would maneuver
so as to seek to shut the "Terror" within the narrowing end of