nd clumsy as she seemed. But he had by this time learned to repress
his Southern sympathies, and he strove hard to seem a disinterested
spectator.

Captain Afleck was so carried away by the extraordinary and splendid
spectacle before him that he forgot all his own troubles, and watched
the progress of the conflict with as keen an interest as if in some way
his own fate depended upon the issue.

"I tell you what it is, Terry," said he exultantly: "this is a great
bit of luck for us. Won't we have a fine story to tell when we get
back to Halifax?"

"That we will, captain," responded Terry--"providin' we do get back.
But I'm thinkin' there's some chance of our gettin' smashed ourselves
by one of these murderin' cannon-balls that go skippin' about so
lively. Just look at that, will you, captain?"

The _Congress_ had returned the broadside of the ironclad, and although
the range was close, only half the iron missiles had hit the mark, the
others playing a game of hop-skip-and-jump across the water, and
sending up the spray in snow-white spurts.

"It's fine, Terry, isn't it?" said the captain. Then with a quick
change of tone he exclaimed, as he grasped the boy's arm in his
excitement, "But look there, Terry; what can that queer black thing be
up to now? Does she think she can run that fine big frigate down, like
this ship did us in Boston Harbour?"

The tone of incredulous surprise was as marked in Captain Afleck's
voice as if the ironclad had seemed to be making preparations to fly;
yet he had only too correctly guessed the meaning of her next movement.
Indeed, before he finished speaking, it was manifest to all; for after
exchanging broadsides with the _Congress_, the _Merrimac_, paying no
heed to the land batteries that were vainly peppering her iron sides
with harmless balls, made straight for the _Cumberland_ at the top of
her speed, and struck her almost at right angles under the fore-rigging
on the starboard side, the heavy iron prow crashing through the wooden
sides as though they had been pasteboard, and making a great gaping
hole wide enough to admit a horse and cart.

A simultaneous shout of amazement, anger, and dismay went up from the
crowded deck of the _Minnesota_ at this startling and horrifying
manoeuvre, and in breathless suspense all watched the stricken ship as
her assailant withdrew a space and headed up the river, apparently
content with her terrific onslaught.

For a few minutes the _Cum