Theeffectofthemotor-bombwasfullyobservedwithglassesfromthevariousfortificationsoftheport，andfrommanypointsofthecityandharbour;andthosefamiliarwiththeeffectsofexplosiveswerenotlonginmakinguptheirmindswhathadhappened。TheyfeltsurethataminehadbeensprungbeneathFortPilcher;andtheywerenowequallyconfidentthatinthemorningatorpedoofnovelandterriblepowerhadbeenexplodedintheharbour。Theynowdisbelievedintheearthquake，andtreatedwithcontemptthepretencethatshotshadbeenfiredfromtheSyndicate’svessel。
Thiswasmerelyatrickoftheenemy。Itwasnotevenlikelythatthemineorthetorpedohadbeenoperatedfromtheship。Thesewere，inallprobability，underthecontrolofconfederatesonshore，andhadbeenexplodedattimesagreeduponbeforehand。Allthiswasperfectlyplaintothemilitaryauthorities。
Butthepeopleofthecityderivednocomfortfromtheannouncementoftheseconclusions。Forallthatanybodyknewthewholecitymightbeundermined，andatanymomentmightascendinacloudofminuteparticles。
Theyfeltthattheywereinaregionofhiddentraitorsandbombs，andinconsequenceofthisbeliefthousandsofcitizenslefttheirhomes。
Thatafternoonatruce-boatagainwentoutfromRepellerNo。1，androwedtothefort，wherealettertothecommandantwasdelivered。This，liketheother，demandednoanswer，andtheboatreturned。Laterintheafternoonthetworepellers，accompaniedbythecrabs，andleavingthesteelnetstillanchoredinitsplace，retiredafewmilesseaward，wheretheypreparedtolaytoforthenight。