lor
has waked up and confirmed it. She was the _Destructor_, just over, and
trying to get into Havana. Instead of blowing up in Algeciras Bay, as
they thought, she had left with despatches for Havana, only to blow up
on the Florida Reef."

"The _Destructor_," said the ensign, as he pocketed his note-book and
pencil, "carried fifty-five men. Don't we get the bounty as the nearest
craft?"

"Not much," said the young and enthusiastic torpedo-lieutenant. "We
were not even within signal distance, and came along by accident.
Listen, all of you. When an American war-craft sinks or destroys a
larger enemy, there is a bounty due her crew of two hundred dollars for
every man on board the enemy. That is law, isn't it?" They nodded. "If
a submarine boat can be a war-craft, so may a Whitehead torpedo, and
certainly is one, being built for war. A war-craft abandoned is a
derelict, and the man who finds her becomes her lawful commander for
the time. If he belongs to the navy his position is strengthened, and
if he is alone he is not only commander, but the whole crew, and
consequently he is entitled to all the bounty she may earn. That is
law.

"Now, listen hard. Lieutenant Mosher sent one torpedo at the gunboat;
it missed and became derelict, while Mosher escaped under one boiler.
This man found the derelict adrift, puzzled out the action, waited
until the gunboat came back for her anchor, then straddled his craft,
and rode out with the water-tripper up. They shot at him. He turned his
dog loose and destroyed the enemy. If the _Destructor_ carried
fifty-five men he is entitled to eleven thousand dollars, and the
government must pay, for that is law."

THE BATTLE OF THE MONSTERS

Extract from hospital record of the case of John Anderson, patient of
Dr. Brown, Ward 3, Room 6:

August 3. Arrived at hospital in extreme mental distress, having
been bitten on wrist three hours previously by dog known to have
been rabid. Large, strong man, full-blooded and well nourished.
Sanguine temperament. Pulse and temperature higher than normal, due
to excitement. Cauterized wound at once (2 P.M.) and inoculated
with antitoxin.

As patient admits having recently escaped, by swimming ashore, from
lately arrived cholera ship, now at quarantine, he has been
isolated and clothing disinfected. Watch for symptoms of cholera.

August 3, 6 P.M. Microscopic examination of blood corroborative of
Me