Page:Robert William Cole - The Struggle for Empire; A Story of the Year 2236 (1900).djvu/96

84 chronometers, which had been set to London time. As hour after hour went by, the bells clanged through the war-ships, announcing the time for getting up, taking meals, or going to bed. The sailors were wearied by the unchanging routine of their daily duties, which were varied by no recreation and no fighting. Outside were the black depths of space, within was the blaze of the artificial lights which illuminated the glittering breeches of the guns and the numberless bars, levers, and tubes that formed the loading apparatus. In the engine-room the machinery was still whirling round, and the engineers were still climbing about among the moving cranks, while sparks and flames shot about in all directions. Many of the men longed to meet the enemy, that they might have something to do; but still there was no sign of an approaching fleet—the needles hung down quite motionless.

Signals were continually being flashed backwards and forwards from one end