rains.

Rear Admiral Head has so improved the deadly swivel-gun of the Mackerel
iron-plated squadron, that it will send a ball some distance without
kicking the gunner overboard. The secret of this improvement is known
only to the Government, my boy, and will be used to advantage when our
gory conflict with combined Europe comes off.

It was on Thursday morning, my boy, when an enthusiastic military mob,
consisting of Captain Villiam Brown, Captain Bob Shorty, and myself,
stood once more upon the familiar shore of Duck Lake. The squadron,
which has been named the "Secretary Welles," having been launched upon
the treacherous element by Rear Admiral Head and one Mackerel, we took
out our pieces of smoked glass and prepared for the naval pageant.

We could plainly see the stern old Rear Admiral bustling about on the
gallant Grandmother of the Seas, as I may term the noble craft, and
hear him swearing in his iron-plated manner.

"Fracture my turret," says the old sea-dog, "if I don't think this gun
will surpass the Armstrong; blockade me, if I don't."

When it became the duty of the solitary Mackerel crew to load the awful
instrument of destruction, it was discovered that the ramrod had been
left behind at the Navy Yard Foundry. This nautical disaster might have
marred the experiments, had not the Rear Admiral chanced to have his
brown gingham umbrella along with him. This was used as a rammer, and
the experiment proceeded.

The first charge was twenty pounds of powder, not more than nineteen of
them running out of the touchhole. The ball slightly touched the water
and went down, the recoil of the squadron being only the width of Duck
Lake.

The second shot was made with only one pound of powder, as it was
feared that the rudder might be strained by too much concussion, and we
saw the ball drop into the ocean wave. At this shot, the "Secretary
Welles" only hopped out of the water a few inches. The third shot was
made with half a pound of powder, as it was not deemed advisable to do
too much damage to the surrounding country by the gunnery.

We were gazing intently at the merciless implement of death, through
our smoked glass, when this shot was fired, and suddenly beheld a
phenomenon which made us catch our breath.

Mixed up with the fire and smoke, there emerged from the mouth of the
swivel-gun, what appeared to be an immense brown bird of some kind,
spreading its huge wings as if came out, and skimming wearily