Nothing was seen and the work of loading the guns was
begun. The bomb tubes, in the main cabin, were also to be given a
test.
As service charges were to be used, and as the projectiles were
filled with explosives, great care was needed in handling them.
"We'll try dropping bombs first," Tom suggested. "We know they
will work, and that will be so much out of the way."
To make the test a severe one, small floating targets were
first dropped overboard from the Mars. Then the aerial warship,
circling about, came on toward them. Tom, seated at the range-
finders, pressed the button that released the shells containing
the explosives. One after another they dropped into the sea,
exploding as they fell, and sending up a great column of salt
water.
"Every one a hit!" reported Lieutenant Marbury, who was keeping
"score."
"That's good," responded Tom. "But the others won't be so easy.
We have nothing to shoot at."
They had to fire the other guns without targets at which to
aim. But, after all, it was the absence of recoil they wanted to
establish, and this could be done without shooting at any
particular object.
One after another the guns were loaded.
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