The steam hung upon the water for many minutes, hiding the third
Martian and the coast altogether.  And all this time the boat was
paddling steadily out to sea and away from the fight; and when at last
the confusion cleared, the drifting bank of black vapour intervened,
and nothing of the _Thunder Child_ could be made out, nor could the
third Martian be seen.  But the ironclads to seaward were now quite
close and standing in towards shore past the steamboat.