"How awfully jolly!" The _Archimedes_, after taking her ammunition on board, had steamed out seaward so as to get a good offing where she might fire her guns without the risk of hitting any passing craft; and, by the time Bob had come on deck again from inspecting the machinery, she was well beyond the Nab light and far out into the waters of the Channel.
On the order being presently given to fire, the machine-guns went popping away, to test how many shots they can fire off in a minute--the report of some of them sounding like an asthmatic old gentleman with a very bad cough.
"What a funny noise!" cried Bob--"Rover barks just the same when he's asleep and dreaming!" "Indeed!" said the young lieutenant, more intent, however, on watching a party of blue-jackets getting ready a big gun for firing in the bows than paying much attention to Bob.

"Look out there, youngster!" "What are they going to do, eh ?" asked Bob--"all those sailors there!" "Why, fire one of our forty-three ton guns; so you'd better look out for squalls.

Have you got any cotton-wool about you ?" "No," answered Bob.

"What for ?" "To put in your ears, so as to deaden the noise of the report," said the lieutenant.

"I've got some, though, so it doesn't matter.