Війна світів
The “Thunder Child”
Hesprangtohisfeetandsawtostarboard,andnotahundredyardsfromtheirheeling,pitchingboat,avastironbulklikethebladeofaploughtearingthroughthewater,tossingitoneithersideinhugewavesoffoam thatleapedtowardsthesteamer,flingingherpaddleshelplesslyintheair,andthensuckingherdeckdownalmosttothewaterline.
Adoucheofsprayblindedmybrotherforamoment. Whenhiseyeswereclearagainhesawthemonsterhadpassedandwasrushinglandward. Bigironupperworksroseoutofthisheadlongstructure,andfromthattwinfunnelsprojectedandspatasmokingblastshotwithfire. Itwasthetorpedoram,ThunderChild,steamingheadlong,comingtotherescueofthethreatenedshipping.
Keepinghisfootingontheheavingdeckbyclutchingthebulwarks,mybrotherlookedpastthischargingleviathanattheMartiansagain,andhesawthethreeofthemnowclosetogether,andstandingsofarouttoseathattheirtripodsupportswerealmostentirelysubmerged. Thussunken,andseeninremoteperspective,theyappearedfarlessformidablethanthehugeironbulkinwhosewakethesteamerwaspitchingsohelplessly. Itwouldseemtheywereregardingthisnewantagonistwithastonishment. Totheirintelligence,itmaybe,thegiantwasevensuchanotherasthemselves. TheThunderChildfirednogun,butsimplydrovefullspeedtowardsthem. Itwasprobablyhernotfiringthatenabledhertogetsoneartheenemyasshedid. Theydidnotknowwhattomakeofher. Oneshell,andtheywouldhavesenthertothebottomforthwithwiththeHeat-Ray.
ShewassteamingatsuchapacethatinaminutesheseemedhalfwaybetweenthesteamboatandtheMartians—adiminishingblackbulkagainsttherecedinghorizontalexpanseoftheEssexcoast.
