cellor.

"A miracle," said the Field Marshal, "if it can only be realised."

"There is no doubt about that, gentlemen," said Castellan, going back to
the machine. "Which of the models would your Majesty like to see
destroyed first?"

The Kaiser pointed to the model of a battleship which was a very good
imitation of one of the most up-to-date British battleships.

"We will take that one first," he said.

Castellan smiled, and began to play the keys. The grey shape of the
_Flying Fish_ dropped to the bottom of the tank, rose, and seemed all at
once to become endowed with human reason, or a likeness of it, which was
so horrible that even the Kaiser and his two chiefs could hardly repress
a shudder. It rose very slowly, circled among the floating models about
two feet under the surface and then, like an animal smelling out its
prey, it made a dart at the ship which the Kaiser had indicated, and
struck it from underneath. They saw a green flash stream through the
water, and the next moment the model had crumbled to pieces and sank.

"Donner-Wetter!" exclaimed the Chancellor, forgetting in his wonder that
he was in the presence of His Majesty, "that is wonderful, horrible!"

"Can there be anything too horrible for the enemies of the Fatherland,
Herr Kanztler," said the Kaiser, looking across the tank at him, with a
glint in his eyes, which no man in Germany cares to see.

"I must ask pardon, your Majesty," replied the Chancellor. "I was
astonished, indeed, almost frightened--frightened, if your Majesty will
allow me to say so, for the sake of Humanity, if such an awful invention
as that becomes realised."

"And what is your opinion, Field Marshal?" asked the Kaiser with a
laugh.

"A most excellent invention, your Majesty, provided always that it
belongs to the Fatherland."

"Exactly," said the Kaiser. "As that very intelligent American officer,
Admiral Mahan, has told us, the sea-power is world-power, and there you
have sea-power; but that is not the limit of the capabilities of Mr
Castellan's invention, according to the specifications which I have
read, and on the strength of which I have asked him to give us this
demonstration of its powers. He calls it, as you know, the _Flying
Fish_. So far you have seen it as a fish. Now, Mr Castellan, perhaps you
will be kind enough to let us see it fly."

"With pleasure, your Majesty," replied the Irishman, "but, in case of
accident, I must ask you and the Chancellor and