d tons.

Besides the Llangaron, three ironclads were now drifting broadside to
the sea. But there was no time to succour disabled vessels, for the
rest of the fleet was coming on, and there was great work for the crabs.

Against these enemies, swift of motion and sudden in action, the
torpedo-boats found it almost impossible to operate, for the British
ships and the crabs were so rapidly nearing each other that a torpedo
sent out against an enemy was more than likely to run against the hull
of a friend. Each crab sped at the top of its speed for a ship, not
only to attack, but also to protect itself.

Once only did the crabs give the torpedo-boats a chance. A mile or two
north of the scene of action, a large cruiser was making her way
rapidly toward the repeller, which was still lying almost motionless,
four miles to the westward. As it was highly probable that this vessel
carried dynamite guns, Crab Q, which was the fastest of her class, was
signalled to go after her. She had scarcely begun her course across
the open space of sea before a torpedo-boat was in pursuit. Fast as
was the latter, the crab was faster, and quite as easily managed. She
was in a position of great danger, and her only safety lay in keeping
herself on a line between the torpedo-boat and the gun-boat, and to
shorten as quickly as possible the distance between herself and that
vessel.

If the torpedo-boat shot to one side in order to get the crab out of
line, the crab, its back sometimes hidden by the tossing waves, sped
also to the same side. When the torpedo-boat could aim a gun at the
crab and not at the gun-boat, a deadly torpedo flew into the sea; but a
tossing sea and a shifting target were unfavourable to the gunner's
aim. It was not long, however, before the crab had run the chase which
might so readily have been fatal to it, and was so near the gun-boat
that no more torpedoes could be fired at it.

Of course the officers and crew of the gun-boat had watched with most
anxious interest the chase of the crab. The vessel was one which had
been fitted out for service with dynamite guns, of which she carried
some of very long range for this class of artillery, and she had been
ordered to get astern of the repeller and to do her best to put a few
dynamite bombs on board of her.

The dynamite gun-boat therefore had kept ahead at full speed,
determined to carry out her instructions if she should be allowed to do
so; but her speed wa