Ofcoursetheofficersandcrewofthegun-boathadwatchedwithmostanxiousinterestthechaseofthecrab。Thevesselwasonewhichhadbeenfittedoutforservicewithdynamiteguns，ofwhichshecarriedsomeofverylongrangeforthisclassofartillery，andshehadbeenorderedtogetasternoftherepellerandtodoherbesttoputafewdynamitebombsonboardofher。
Thedynamitegun-boatthereforehadkeptaheadatfullspeed，determinedtocarryoutherinstructionsifsheshouldbeallowedtodoso;butherspeedwasnotasgreatasthatofacrab，andwhenthetorpedo-
boathadgivenupthechase，andthedreadedcrabwasdrawingswiftlynear，thecaptainthoughtittimeforbraverytogiveplacetoprudence。Withthelargeamountofexplosivematerialofthemosttremendousandterrificcharacterwhichhehadonboard，itwouldbetheinsanityofcourageforhimtoallowhiscomparativelysmallvesseltoberacked，shaken，andpartiallyshiveredbythepowerfuljawsoftheon-
comingfoe。Ashecouldneitherflynorfight，hehauleddownhisflagintokenofsurrender，thefirstinstanceofthekindwhichhadoccurredinthiswar。
WhenthedirectorofCrabQ，throughhislookout-