Itwasprobablyhernotfiringthatenabledhertogetsoneartheenemyasshedid。Theydidnotknowwhattomakeofher。Oneshell，andtheywouldhavesenthertothebottomforthwithwiththeHeat-Ray。
ShewassteamingatsuchapacethatinaminutesheseemedhalfwaybetweenthesteamboatandtheMartians——adiminishingblackbulkagainsttherecedinghorizontalexpanseoftheEssexcoast。
SuddenlytheforemostMartianloweredhistubeanddis-chargedacanisteroftheblackgasattheironclad。Ithitherlarboardsideandglancedoffinaninkyjetthatrolledawaytoseaward，anunfoldingtorrentofBlackSmoke，fromwhichtheironcladdroveclear。Tothewatchersfromthesteamer，lowinthewaterandwiththesunintheireyes，itseemedasthoughshewerealreadyamongtheMartians。
Theysawthegauntfiguresseparatingandrisingoutofthewaterastheyretreatedshoreward，andoneofthemraisedthecamera-likegeneratoroftheHeat-Ray。Hehelditpointingobliquelydownward，andabankofsteamsprangfromthewateratitstouch。Itmusthavedriventhroughtheironoftheship\'ssidelikeawhite-hotironrodthroughpaper。
Aflickerofflamewentupthroughtherisingsteam，andthentheMartianreeledandstaggered。Inanothermomenthewascutdown，andagreatbodyofwaterandsteamshothighintheair。ThegunsoftheTHUNDERCHILD