Rafferty Asset Management LLC decreased its position in Halliburton (NYSE:HAL - Free Report) by 12.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 237,601 shares of the oilfield servic

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) Shares Sold by Rafferty Asset Management LLC - MarketBeat

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Heartland Hub partnership among Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin is one of seven winners in national hydrogen energy competition for $7 billion from the federal infrastructure law.

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In this article, we discuss the 12 best crude oil stocks to buy as tensions rise. To skip the detailed analysis of the crude oil market, go directly to the 5 Best Crude Oil Stocks To Buy. Amid the bear market of 2022,

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Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc., parent company of Frost Bank, increased lending and revenue in a higher interest-rate environment in the third quarter, but its earnings slipped from a year ago. The bank’s loan growth has been fueled in part by its expansion in Houston and Dallas. It’s also begun to expand in Austin.

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Exxon Mobil and Chevron told investors why they want to spend $114 billion combined on two megadeals. Their earnings reports revealed why they need to

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Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. spent recent days telling investors why they want to spend $114 billion combined on two megadeals. On Friday, their earnings reports revealed why they need to.Most Read from BloombergCanada Plans College Crackdown Amid Foreign Student TroublesEverything Apple Plans to Launch at Oct.

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Exxon Mobil Corp. sees tight global oil supplies putting upward pressure on energy prices for at least the next few years as the world continues to suffer from a lack of investment in fossil fuels.

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Halliburton

halliburton

While many Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning conferences were paused in 2021, those looking to attend one in 2022 are in luck -- in-person conferences are back! However, many conferences will also continue to offer virtual options as well for those not wishing to venture back out quite yet or for those who like the ease of participating from their living room. AI conferences for 2022 range from the most technical to business-focused to academic. Many cover the full spectrum, with specific tracks and workshops designed for those looking to specialize. Topics will include general AI, strategy, privacy, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, data analytics, data science, big data, natural language processing (NLP) like , robotics, risk management, surveillance, and more. Speech-to-Text Here’s the full list of top AI conferences to attend in 2022: 1. Gartner Data & Analytics Summit The takes place in March in Orlando, Florida. Top leaders in data analytics and AI will gather to discuss business strategy, technology, and leadership in an attempt to discern how to deliver value in an ‘uncertain’ world. The conferences’ seven tracks ensure that there are sessions for all interests. Gartner Data & Analytics Summit : March 17-22, 2022 : Orlando, FL : $3,250+ : When Where Pricing Notable Speakers Pieter den Hamer, Sr. Director Analyst, Gartner Donald Fienberg, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner Gareth Hershel, VP Analyst, Gartner Sally Parker, Sr. Director Analyst, Gartner Register . here 2. World Artificial Intelligence Cannes Festival (WAICF) The , is a hybrid conference and exhibition with additional workshops and demonstrations taking place in February in Cannes, France. The conference aims to explore AI topics related to society, technology, strategy, , and applications. Attend workshops run by big names like Meta and IBM or listen to world class speakers in the numerous conference sessions. World Artificial Intelligence Cannes Festival, or WAICF API privacy : February 10-12, 2022 : Cannes, France and Digital : 440 Euros+ (Full Pass), also free tier : When Where Pricing Notable Speakers Darlington Akogo, Founder/Executive Director, Minohealth AI Labs Beena Ammanath, Executive Director, Global Deloitte AI Institute Fabian Aufrechter, Head, Havas Sovereign Technologies Elias Baltassis, Partner/Director, Data & Analytics, Boston Consulting Group Register . here 3. Re-work Deep Learning Summit The , sponsored by Re-Work, brings together industry experts and academic researchers to explore the latest advancements in the fields of Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence. Though held in person in San Francisco, the conference also has a fully virtual option for those not wishing to travel. Deep Learning Summit : February 17–18, 2022 : San Francisco, CA (or virtual) : $795-$1,695 ($199 for virtual ticket) When Where Pricing Notable Speakers: Maithra Raghu, Sr. Research Scientist, Google Brain Lex Fridman, AI Researcher, MIT Richard Socher, Founder, you.com Ilya Echstein, ML/AI Researcher, Google Register . here 4. Data Innovations Summit The brings together experts in the fields of data management, advanced analytics, and AI. Sessions cater to both the technical and business minds alike in an attempt to explore innovation in the field of AI. If in-person attendance is out of the question, consider the virtual option. Data Innovations Summit in Dubai : March 7th, 2022 : Habtoor Grand Resort, Autograph Collection, Dubai, or virtual : 189-399 Euros : When Where Pricing Notable Speakers Henrik Gothberg, Interim Global Insight and Data Backbone Owner, Scania Financial Services and Founding SEO, Scania and Dairdux Abel Aboh, Data Management Lead, Bank of England Max Metral, Senior Analytics Manager F1 David Dadoun, CDO, BRP Register . here 5. Big Data & Analytics Summit Canada 2022 The will offer a hybrid in-person and virtual experience with exhibit booths, on-demand speaking sessions, virtual networking, and more. Attend to forge relationships and discuss innovation in the field of data analytics. 2022 Big Data & Analytics Summit : April 5-6, 2022 : Toronto, Canada : TBD : When Where Pricing Notable Speakers (Past) Dr. Satyam Priyadarshy, Chief Data Scientist, Halliburton Chapin Flynn, SVP, Senior Data Advisor Advait Bopardikar, Canadian ML Practice Lead, Google Nastaran Bisheban, Chief Technology Officer, KFC Register . here 6. AI in RegTech Summit Sponsored by Re-work, the offers three tracks with multiple stages, round table discussions, Q&As, 1:1 meetings, technical labs, practical workshops, and more. Topics to be covered include Deep Learning, , regulation, big data, data security, KYC initiatives, risk management, regulatory reporting, market surveillance, and more. AI in RegTech Summit Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) : April 21-22, 2022 : New York : $795+ ($149 for virtual) : When Where Pricing Notable Speakers Kishore Karra, Executive Director, Model Review Group, J.P. Morgan Glenn Fung, Chief Machine Learning Research and Innovation Scientist, American Insurance Family Ruchi Sharma, VP, Group Strategic Analytics, Deutsche Bank Tyler Mey, Director, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Mastercard Register . here 7. World Summit AI Americas In its fourth iteration, the combines the full AI ecosystem--startups, academics, investors, business leaders, and tech companies in an interactive conference format. The conference will feature more than 150 speakers via two content tracks over its two day span. World Summit AI Americas conference : May 4-5, 2022 : Montreal, Canada : $449 CAD+ ($199 student) : When Where Pricing Notable Speakers (Past) Yoshua Bengio, Professor of Computer Science and Operations Research, University of Montreal Professor Daphne Koller, Founder and CEO, Insitro, Co-Founder, Coursera Marc G Bellemare, Research Scientist, Google Brain Hassan Sawaf, Director, Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services Register . here 8. The AI Summit London The will feature 500 hours of content, 300+ expert speakers, 100+ solutions providers, and 13 stages. Attendees can choose from tracks across AI finance, AI healthcare, CX, Marketing and eCommerce, NLP topics like , Quantum Computing, AI Manufacturing, Cyber Security, and Computer Vision. 2022 AI Summit in London Sentiment Analysis : June 15-16, 2022 : London, UK : TBD : TBD When Where Pricing Notable Speakers Register . here

8 Best AI Conferences to Attend in 2022

Alex Gladstein on Why Bitcoin Matters for Freedom

Political Revolution and the Blockchain: A Tale of Two Paradigm Shifts

Hello HackerNoon Community! I'm , Co-founder and CEO of . Today, I'm thrilled to share with you some transformative news about our company. We're transitioning Noodl, our next-gen low-code platform, to an open-source model! James Haliburton Noodl Our decision to embrace open source marks a significant milestone in our journey. It reflects our commitment to democratizing software creation, making it more powerful, more accessible, and more customizable. It also speaks to a belief that's been at the heart of Noodl since its inception: the idea that investment in our platform should never be a risk to your time or resources but rather an investment in yourself. https://youtu.be/kD-Oz_M-IS4?embedable=true This transition will position Noodl as one of the most comprehensive and potent open-source low-code tools available - and the only one geared towards building custom business-critical apps.  We're excited to provide developers, businesses, and the open-source community with everything they need to build, deploy, and host Noodl applications under open-source licenses. Balance of open-core and open source We're moving towards an open-core model. This means that all the essentials to build, deploy, maintain, and host applications will be free and fully open-source. However, we also understand that some users and businesses seek advanced features. To cater to them, we'll offer a commercial version with additional features like collaboration tools, version control, and optimizations for scaling applications. It's our way of maintaining Noodl's accessibility while providing added value to those who need a little more. Our hosting services will remain available, and we'll be rolling out additional enterprise-grade features in the coming months. We aim to enhance the overall experience for customers who prefer integrated Noodl hosting. Community The Noodl community has already been growing at breakneck speed recently, with between 30% to 45% monthly growth of new users. But our mission is not about raw growth alone - it’s about working together to build a community that is sustainable and has a lasting, transformative impact. Our phase will focus on setting up a solid governance foundation and de-risking a commitment to a low-code platform, and secondary phases will invest increasingly in stimulating community innovation and contributions. Timing The transition to an open-core model is a substantial undertaking. We expect it to take 6-12 months, during which we'll be releasing code regularly for the community to access and contribute to. The code base will be divided into two main components. The first will cover everything needed to build and run the Noodl editor, and the second will address all aspects necessary to deploy and host Noodl applications. Balancing the needs of the community and commercial users is crucial to us, and we've chosen two different licenses to achieve this. The first component, related to building and running the editor, will be licensed under GPL3. This license encourages collaboration and contributions from the community, allowing for ongoing improvements to the platform. The second component, covering deployment and hosting, will be licensed under the more permissive Apache 2.0 license. This will enable organizations to build, deploy, and host commercial Noodl applications while still benefiting from the contributions made to the community version of the platform​. Here's a glimpse into our transition timeline: Official announcement of Noodl transitioning to an open core model. To celebrate this exciting development, we are updating our pricing model, making self-hosting applications completely free of charge! Previously $299 / month. The first code releases of Noodl will be published, allowing the community to start exploring, contributing to, and improving the platform. Completion of the transition to an open-core model. Noodl will be available under open-source licenses, with additional features offered in the commercial version. A new chapter We believe this transition will breathe new life into our community, driving the platform to new heights and empowering developers, businesses, and organizations to create groundbreaking applications using Noodl. I invite you to join us on this exciting journey. Stay up to date with the latest developments and be the first to know about our open-source transition by . Your participation will help shape the future of low-code development. joining our newsletter Noodl is already free to download and get started with today. Thank you for being part of the Noodl community. James Haliburton, Co-founder and CEO, Noodl.

A New Chapter for Enterprise Low-Code: Transitioning to Open Source

Last June, a large parcel of Sand was purchased by the exclusive NFT team within the popular metaverse The Sandbox, generating greater buyer interest in all parcels around this virtual property. Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) As Josh Ong announced on his official account on June 8, the euphoria around the lot acquired by BAYC was followed by pressure to buy lots around the official property of the exclusive club in the popular blockchain game, by part of some apes and other fanatics who were quick to become the new neighbors of these particular NFTs. Twitter Already on May 29, the official account of Bored Ape Yacht Club on , indicated what was to come in the next sale of SAND carried out by The Sandbox platform, which together with the FOMO and the interest in the popular metaverse by the followers of both platforms, triggered a success in the auction of plots executed a few days later by the metaverse. Twitter Interest in the Sandbox platform by the 'apes' was quite high, to the point that Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-Founder of the metaverse dedicated a about the euphoria of 'colonization' that haunted the virtual world of BAYC in the blockchain gaming platform, with the entry of new SAND owners related to the exclusive NFT club. tweet But what is Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC)? On April 23, 2021, the Discord channel announced the pre-sale to the public of BAYC, which generated little interest at that time. Bored Ape Yacht Club consisted of apes minted under unique and scarce Blockchain technology (10 thousand NFTs), ingredients that served for its popularity once the NFTs were revealed on April 30 on the Twitter and Discord social media. Like wildfire, these minted apes began to be palatable by art collectors within the blockchain ecosystem, generating a fairly lucrative secondary market on the OpenSea Marketplace by then. To this day, belonging to this selective NFT club is for many a distinction of class and exclusivity of a select group of members that have, among others, NBA stars such as Tyrese Haliburton, LaMelo Ball and Josh Hart. In addition to other renowned figures such as Rohan Gharegozlou (CEO Dapper Labs), Mark Cuban, Gary Vaynerchuk (VeeFriends), Daryl Morey (Philadelphia 76ers), etc. Since the launch of the BAYC project, the apes minted in the form of NFTs have been sold for around 42, 55 and up to 58 Ethereum, after an asking price last April of just 0.08 ETH. With more than 4,161 holders, BAYC has become a fledgling world of exclusive NFT collectors with a market capitalization valued at just over $100 million, being a successful success in such a short time to market. The Sandbox is one of the Blockchain-powered virtual worlds available on the market today. This metaverse consists of lands, and voxels fill each of those lands. In this metaverse, LAND is a virtual property that players, users, or investors can purchase to build experiences on and monetize, filling them with games and assets. Currently, this platform occupies the fifth position in terms of sales volume in the last seven days, according to CoinMarketCap with a little more than a million dollars. With this positive sentiment about The Sandbox and BAYC, the takeoff of the virtual planet of the apes was a matter of minutes within the popular metaverse, proving once again that these Blockchain-based worlds and the NFT community have a lot of future ahead of them.

The Sandbox Powers BAYC's NFT Monkeys into the Metaverse Blockchain

The introduction of Large Language Models (LLMs) like OpenAI's has revolutionized various industries, and DevOps is no exception. As organizations continue to adopt into their development and operations workflows, a new practice called "LLM Ops" has rapidly emerged. In this post, we'll explore the impact of LLM Ops on different roles and organizations, and discuss the importance and value of embracing this new approach. GPT series LLMs Key Aspects of LLM Ops Integrating LLMs into development and operations pipelines can lead to significant efficiency gains. For example, GitHub's Copilot uses LLMs to generate code suggestions, speeding up development and reducing errors. These models can also assist in automating testing, enhancing documentation, and streamlining other processes. Integration: To achieve optimal results, organizations must tailor LLMs for specific use cases. For instance, fine-tuning GPT-3 for natural language processing tasks in a specific domain can significantly improve its performance. Training and Fine-tuning: Properly deploying, versioning, and monitoring LLMs is essential for their continued success in the organization. ModelOps, a subdiscipline of MLOps, focuses on these tasks, ensuring that AI models, including LLMs, are effectively managed and maintained. Model Management: Ensuring LLMs are used securely and in compliance with regulations is crucial. Organizations like OpenAI are already working to address potential biases and risks associated with LLMs through initiatives like the OpenAI LP, which aims to ensure safe and responsible AI development. Security and Compliance: LLM Ops teams must collaborate with other teams, such as development, security, and product management, to ensure LLMs are effectively integrated into workflows. This cross-functional collaboration helps drive innovation and improves overall organizational performance. Collaboration and communication: As LLMs become more prevalent, organizations must invest in upskilling their teams. Training in machine learning, natural language processing, and specific tools and platforms will be essential for success in the age of LLM Ops. Skills development: LLM Ops teams must be aware of ethical implications and establish AI governance frameworks to address issues related to fairness, accountability, transparency, and explainability. Ethics and AI governance: The Impact on Roles and Organizations: The rise of LLM Ops has implications for various roles within organizations. Development teams can benefit from LLM-generated code and automated testing, while operations teams can leverage LLMs for monitoring and incident management. Security teams can use LLMs to identify vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with data privacy and security standards. Furthermore, product management and customer support teams can benefit from LLM-generated content and insights. AI-Accelerated Development and AI-First Low-Code Platforms: The advent of LLM Ops and AI-driven technologies has also accelerated the development of custom applications and given rise to AI-first low-code platforms. These platforms empower developers and non-developers alike to create, iterate, and deploy applications quickly, without the need for extensive coding expertise. , for example, provides a visual interface that enables users to build applications with ease, leveraging AI capabilities like natural language understanding, and computer vision modules to create powerful, feature-rich applications. Such platforms are designed to be highly extensible and customizable, allowing organizations to tailor their solutions to specific use cases and requirements. Noodl The integration of AI and LLMs into low-code platforms significantly reduces the barrier to entry for incorporating advanced AI functionalities into custom applications. This democratization of AI capabilities empowers organizations to stay competitive, innovate faster, and deliver better user experiences, further enhancing the value of embracing LLM Ops in the age of AI-driven development. Moving forward Embracing LLM Ops is critical for organizations looking to stay competitive in today's rapidly evolving technology landscape. With the integration of AI and LLMs in low-code platforms like Noodl, companies can not only streamline their DevOps practices but also accelerate the development of custom applications. By understanding the key aspects of LLM Ops and the impact on different roles and organizations, companies can better prepare for the future, unlocking the true potential of LLMs in their DevOps practices and beyond.

Embracing LLM Ops: The Next Stage of DevOps for Large Language Models

For nearly two decades of working with large scale companies, I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing people at the category leaders in the world, including people at Amazon, Google, GSK, Samsung, Airbus, Nike, and more — but there has been a common dilemma facing all these companies — the internal innovation chasm. The design, product, and innovation leaders I’ve worked with have frequently been swimming upstream in their mandate — being told the company demands and supports radical, user-driven innovation, while the reality they face is that innovation of new products and experiences is mostly achieved in non-disruptive, linear approaches. This is not because linearity is what companies or leaders desire, but because they don’t have the means to prove that taking a leap will pay off.‍ Their reality includes: “We need proof from user research that this is valuable” — but it costs too much to get a meaningful sample size of the feedback “You’re asking for too much budget and too much time. Give me something I can ship next sprint.” “These prototypes are just concepts, they aren’t testable.” “All the developers are assigned to shipping features on the existing product, just make a Figma prototype.” Sound familiar? Design and product strategies may help us establish goals of where we’d like our products to be and what problems they’ll solve, but, more often than not, our path is defined by setting a work-back trajectory of how to include features one at a time rather than visionary strategy. This forgoes a true leap to version 2.0 and should be seen more like a perpetual march to version 1. x. While serious resources can be spent on creative vision, rarely is anyone given the tools to properly test an idea in-market quickly at high fidelity. Even more rarely can teams figure out how to get their vision to market fast and continue to build and perfect it with the confidence of their company behind them. This all gives context to the questions my team at Noodl and I have been asking ourselves: How can we achieve design-driven innovative leaps in complex, risk-averse organizations? How can teams continuously build entirely new or V2 products driven by real insights? How can we ensure that companies amid digital transformation don’t simply emulate sub-optimal approaches to innovation? What if we could shed the weight that holds us down and float right over the innovation chasm? What if we could empower a new creative class of professionals to create visionary software without the cost or bottlenecks of building expensive engineering teams? If your team is ready, one part of the answer is adopting design-driven processes to innovation. The next step is equipping team members with design programming skills and methodologies. Cutting out the need for in-sourcing our outsourcing can steer resources (aka time and money) back to iteration with real users. When the most innovative people have the skills to create production-grade MVPs themselves that they can test with users, they can generate insights at light speed and even take decisions on the fly where appropriate. Together, design-driven mentalities and design programming methods can allow you to own your vision. I’m the CEO at , a professional design programming platform… I’ve seen the reality inside big orgs. I’m hopeful that the Noodl team is helping to change that reality one innovation team at a time. Noodl

Amazon, Google, Samsung, and Nike are All Facing the Internal Innovation Chasm

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . St. Mungo here ST. MUNGO. The next day at sunrise the American coast had disappeared; not a ship was visible on the horizon, and the “Dolphin,” moderating the frightful rapidity of her speed, made quietly towards the Bermudas. It is useless to recount the passage across the Atlantic, which was marked by no accidents, and ten days after the departure from Queenstown the French coast was hailed. What passed between the Captain and the young girl may be imagined, even by the least observant individuals. How could Mr. Halliburtt acknowledge the devotion and courage of his deliverer, if it was not by making him the happiest of men? James Playfair did not wait for English seas to declare to the father and daughter the sentiments which overflowed his heart, and, if Crockston is to be believed, Miss Jenny received his confession with a happiness she did not try to conceal. Thus it happened that on the 14th of February, 18—, a numerous crowd was collected in the dim aisles of St. Mungo, the old cathedral of Glasgow. There were seamen, merchants, manufacturers, magistrates, and some of every denomination, gathered here. There was Miss Jenny in bridal array, and beside her the worthy Crockston, resplendent in apple-green clothes, with gold buttons, whilst Uncle Vincent stood proudly by his nephew. In short, they were celebrating the marriage of James Playfair, of the firm of Vincent Playfair and Co., of Glasgow, with Miss Jenny Halliburtt, of Boston. The ceremony was accomplished amidst great pomp. Every one knew the history of the “Dolphin,” and every one thought the young Captain well recompensed for his devotion. He alone said that his reward was greater than he deserved. In the evening there was a grand ball and banquet at Uncle Vincent’s house, with a large distribution of shillings to the crowd collected in Gordon Street. Crockston did ample justice to this memorable feast, while keeping himself perfectly within bounds. Every one was happy at this wedding; some at their own happiness, and others at the happiness around them, which is not always the case at ceremonies of this kind. Late in the evening, when the guests had retired, James Playfair took his uncle’s hand. “Well, Uncle Vincent,” said he to him. “Well, Nephew James?” “Are you pleased with the charming cargo I brought you on board the ‘Dolphin’?” continued Captain Playfair, showing him his brave young wife. “I am quite satisfied,” replied the worthy merchant; “I have sold my cotton at three hundred and seventy-five per cent. profit.” THE END. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

St. Mungo.

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Between two fires here “BETWEEN TWO FIRES.” The boat, pulled by six robust oarsmen, flew over the water. The fog was growing dense, and it was with difficulty that James Playfair succeeded in keeping to the line of his bearings. Crockston sat at the bows, and Mr. Halliburtt at the stern next the Captain. The prisoner, only now informed of the presence of his servant, wished to speak to him, but the latter enjoined silence. However, a few minutes later, when they were in the middle of the harbour, Crockston determined to speak knowing what thoughts were uppermost in Mr. Halliburtt’s mind. “Yes, my dear master,” said he, “the gaoler is in my place in the cell, where I gave him two smart blows, one on the head and the other on the stomach, to act as a sleeping draught, and this when he was bringing me my supper; there is gratitude for you. I took his clothes and his keys, found you, and let you out of the citadel, under the soldiers’ noses. That is all I have done.” “But my daughter?—” asked Mr. Halliburtt. “Is on board the ship which is going to take you to England.” “My daughter there! there!” cried the American, springing from his seat. “Silence!” replied Crockston, “a few minutes, and we shall be saved.” The boat flew through the darkness, but James Playfair was obliged to steer rather by guess, as the lanterns of the “Dolphin” were no longer visible through the fog. He was undecided what direction to follow, and the darkness was so great that the rowers could not even see to the end of their oars. “Well, Mr. James?” said Crockston. “We must have made more than a mile and a half,” replied the Captain. “You don’t see anything, Crockston?” “Nothing; nevertheless I have good eyes, but we shall get there all right. They don’t suspect anything out there.” These words were hardly finished when the flash of a gun gleamed for an instant through the darkness, and vanished in the mist. “A signal!” cried James Playfair. “Whew!” exclaimed Crockston, “it must have come from the citadel. Let us wait.” A second, then a third shot was fired in the direction of the first, and almost the same signal was repeated a mile in front of the shore-boat. “That is from Fort Sumter,” cried Crockston, “and it is the signal of escape. Urge on the men; everything is discovered.” “Pull for your lives, my men!” cried James Playfair, urging on the sailors, “those gun-shots cleared my route. ‘The Dolphin’ is eight hundred yards ahead of us. Stop! I hear the bell on board. Hurrah, there it is again! Twenty pounds for you if we are back in five minutes!” The boat skimmed over the waves under the sailors’ powerful oars. A cannon boomed in the direction of the town. Crockston heard a ball whiz past them. The bell on the “Dolphin” was ringing loudly. A few more strokes and the boat was alongside. A few more seconds and Jenny fell into her father’s arms. The shore-boat was immediately raised, and James Playfair sprang on to the poop. “Is the steam up, Mr. Mathew?” “Yes, Captain.” “Have the moorings cut at once.” A few minutes later the two screws carried the steamer towards the principal channel, away from Fort Sumter. “Mr. Mathew,” said James, “we must not think of taking the Sullivan Island channel; we should run directly under the Confederate guns. Let us go as near as possible to the right side of the harbour out of range of the Federal batteries. Have you a safe man at the helm?” “Yes, Captain.” “Have the lanterns and the fires on deck extinguished; there is a great deal too much light, but we cannot help the reflection from the engine-rooms.” During this conversation the “Dolphin” was going at a great speed; but in altering her course to keep to the right side of the Charleston Harbour she was obliged to enter a channel which took her for a moment near Fort Sumter; and when scarcely half a mile off all the guns bearing on her were discharged at the same time, and a shower of shot and shell passed in front of the “Dolphin” with a thundering report. “Too soon, stupids,” cried James Playfair, with a burst of laughter. “Make haste, make haste, Mr. Engineer! We shall get between two fires.” The stokers fed the furnaces, and the “Dolphin” trembled all over with the effort of the engine as if she was on the point of exploding. At this moment a second report was heard, and another shower of balls whizzed behind the “Dolphin.” “Too late, stupids,” cried the young Captain, with a regular roar. Then Crockston, who was standing on the poop, cried, “That’s one passed. A few minutes more, and we shall have done with the Rebs.” “Then do you think we have nothing more to fear from Fort Sumter?” asked James. “Nothing at all, but everything from Fort Moultrie, at the end of Sullivan Island; but they will only get a chance at us for half a minute, and then they must choose their time well, and shoot straight if they want to reach us. We are getting near.” “Right; the position of Fort Moultrie will allow us to go straight for the principal channel. Fire away then, fire away!” At the same moment, and as if in obedience to James Playfair, the fort was illuminated by a triple line of lightning. A frightful crash was heard; then a crackling sound on board the steamer. “Touched this time!” exclaimed Crockston. “Mr. Mathew!” cried the Captain to his second, who was stationed at the bows, “what has been damaged?” “The bowsprit broken.” “Any wounded?” “No, Captain.” “Well, then, the masts may go to Jericho. Straight into the pass! Straight! and steer towards the island.” “We have passed the Rebs!” cried Crockston; “and if we must have balls in our hull, I would much rather have the Northerners’; they are more easily digested.” In fact, the “Dolphin” could not yet consider herself out of danger; for if Morris Island was not fortified with the formidable pieces of artillery which were placed there a few months later, nevertheless its guns and mortars could easily have sunk a ship like the “Dolphin.” The alarm had been given to the Federals on the island, and to the blockading squadron, by the firing from Forts Sumter and Moultrie. The besiegers could not make out the reason of this night attack; it did not seem to be directed against them. However, they were obliged to consider it so, and were ready to reply. It occupied James Playfair’s thoughts whilst making towards the passes of Morris Island; and he had reason to fear, for in a quarter of an hour’s time lights gleamed rapidly through the darkness. A shower of small shell fell round the steamer, scattering the water over her bulwarks; some of them even struck the deck of the “Dolphin,” but not on their points, which saved the ship from certain ruin. In fact, these shell, as it was afterwards discovered, could break into a hundred fragments, and each cover a superficial area of a hundred and twenty square feet with Greek fire, which would burn for twenty minutes, and nothing could extinguish it. One of these shell alone could set a ship on fire. Fortunately for the “Dolphin,” they were a new invention, and as yet far from perfect. Once thrown into the air, a false rotary movement kept them inclined, and, when falling, instead of striking on their points, where is the percussion apparatus, they fell flat. This defect in construction alone saved the “Dolphin.” The falling of these shells did her little harm, and under the pressure of her over-heated boilers she continued to advance into the pass. At this moment, and in spite of his orders, Mr. Halliburtt and his daughter went to James Playfair on the poop; the latter urged them to return to their cabins, but Jenny declared that she would remain by the Captain. As for Mr. Halliburtt, who had just learnt all the noble conduct of his deliverer, he pressed his hand without being able to utter a word. The “Dolphin” was speeding rapidly towards the open sea. There were only three miles more before she would be in the waters of the Atlantic; if the pass was free at its entrance, she was saved. James Playfair was wonderfully well acquainted with all the secrets of Charleston Bay, and he guided his ship through the darkness with an unerring hand. He was beginning to think his daring enterprise successful, when a sailor on the forecastle cried,— “A ship!” “A ship?” cried James. “Yes, on the larboard side.” The fog had cleared off, and a large frigate was seen making towards the pass, in order to obstruct the passage of the “Dolphin.” It was necessary, cost what it might, to distance her, and urge the steam-engine to an increase of speed, or all was lost. “Port the helm at once!” cried the Captain. Then he sprang on to the bridge above the engine. By his orders one of the screws was stopped, and under the action of the other the “Dolphin,” veering with an extraordinary rapidity avoided running foul of the frigate, and advanced like her to the entrance of the pass. It was now a question of speed. James Playfair understood that in this lay his own safety, Miss Jenny’s, her father’s, and that of all his crew. The frigate was considerably in advance of the “Dolphin.” It was evident from the volumes of black smoke issuing from her chimneys that she was getting up her steam. James Playfair was not the man to be left in the background. “How are the engines?” cried he to the engineer. “At the maximum speed,” replied the latter; “the steam is escaping by all the valves.” “Fasten them down,” ordered the Captain. And his orders were executed at the risk of blowing up the ship. The “Dolphin” again increased her speed; the pistons worked with frightful rapidity; the metal plates on which the engine was placed trembled under the terrific force of their blows. It was a sight to make the boldest shudder. “More pressure!” cried James Playfair; “put on more pressure!” “Impossible!” replied the engineer; “the valves are tightly closed; our furnaces are full up to the mouths.” “What difference! Fill them with cotton soaked in spirits; we must pass that frigate at any price.” At these words the most daring of the sailors looked at each other, but did not hesitate. Some bales of cotton were thrown into the engine-room, a barrel of spirits broached over them, and this expensive fuel placed, not without danger, in the red-hot furnaces. The stokers could no longer hear each other speak for the roaring of the flames. Soon the metal plates of the furnaces became red-hot; the pistons worked like the pistons of a locomotive; the steam-gauge showed a frightful tension; the steamer flew over the water; her boards creaked, and her chimneys threw out volumes of smoke mingled with flames. She was going at a headlong speed, but, nevertheless, she was gaining on the frigate—passed her, distanced her, and in ten minutes was out of the channel. “Saved!” cried the Captain. “Saved!” echoed the crew, clapping their hands. Already the Charleston beacon was disappearing in the south-west; the sound of firing from the batteries grew fainter, and it might with reason be thought that the danger was all past, when a shell from a gun-boat cruising at large was hurled whizzing through the air. It was easy to trace its course, thanks to the line of fire which followed it. Then was a moment of anxiety impossible to describe, every one was silent, and each watched fearfully the arch described by the projectile. Nothing could be done to escape it, and in a few seconds it fell with a frightful noise on the fore-deck of the “Dolphin.” The terrified sailors crowded to the stern, and no one dared move a step, whilst the shell was burning with a brisk crackle. But one brave man alone among them ran up to the formidable weapon of destruction. It was Crockston; he took the shell in his strong arms, whilst showers of sparks were falling from it; then, with a superhuman effort, he threw it overboard. Hardly had the shell reached the surface of the water when it burst with a frightful report. “Hurrah! hurrah!” cried the whole crew of the “Dolphin” unanimously, whilst Crockston rubbed his hands. Some time later the steamer sped rapidly through the waters of the Atlantic; the American coast disappeared in the darkness, and the distant lights which shot across the horizon indicated that the attack was general between the batteries of Morris Island and the forts of Charleston Harbor. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

Between two fires.

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . The escape here THE ESCAPE. Miss Jenny, sitting at the poop of the “Dolphin,” was anxiously waiting the captain’s return; when the latter went up to her she could not utter a word, but her eyes questioned James Playfair more eagerly than her lips could have done. The latter, with Crockston’s help, informed the young girl of the facts relating to her father’s imprisonment. He said that he had carefully broached the subject of the prisoners of war to Beauregard, but as the General did not seem disposed at all in their favour, he had thought it better to say no more about it, but think the matter over again. “Since Mr. Halliburtt is not free in the town, his escape will be more difficult; but I will finish my task, and I promise you, Miss Jenny, that the ‘Dolphin’ shall not leave Charleston, without having your father on board.” “Thank you, Mr. James; I thank you with my whole heart.” At these words James Playfair felt a thrill of joy through his whole being. He approached the young girl with moist eyes and quivering lips; perhaps he was going to make an avowal of the sentiments he could no longer repress, when Crockston interfered,— “This is no time for grieving,” said he; “we must go to work, and consider what to do.” “Have you any plan, Crockston?” asked the young girl. “I always have a plan,” replied the American; “it is my peculiarity.” “But a good one?” said James Playfair. “Excellent! and all the ministers in Washington could not devise a better; it is almost as good as if Mr. Halliburtt was already on board.” Crockston spoke with such perfect assurance, at the same time with such simplicity, that it must have been the most incredulous person who could doubt his words. “We are listening, Crockston,” said James Playfair. “Good! You, Captain, will go to General Beauregard, and ask a favour of him which he will not refuse you.” “And what is that?” “You will tell him that you have on board a tiresome subject, a scamp who has been very troublesome during the voyage, and excited the crew to revolt. You will ask of him permission to shut him up in the citadel; at the same time on the condition that he shall return to the ship on her departure, in order to be taken back to England, to be delivered over to the justice of his country.” “Good!” said James Playfair, half smiling, “I will do all that, and Beauregard will grant my request very willingly.” “I am perfectly sure of it,” replied the American. “But,” resumed Playfair, “one thing is wanting.” “What is that?” “The scamp.” “He is before you, Captain.” “What, the rebellious subject?—” “Is myself; don’t trouble yourself about that.” “Oh! you brave, generous heart,” cried Jenny, pressing the American’s rough hands between her small white palms. “Go, Crockston,” said James Playfair; “I understand you, my friend; and I only regret one thing, that is, that I cannot take your place.” “Every one his part,” replied Crockston; “if you put yourself in my place you would be very much embarrassed, which I shall not be; you will have enough to do later on to get out of the harbour under the fire of the Feds and Rebs, which, for my part, I should manage very badly.” “Well, Crockston, go on.” “Once in the citadel—I know it—I shall see what to do, and rest assured I shall do my best; in the meanwhile, you will be getting your cargo on board.” “Oh! business is now a very unimportant detail,” said the Captain. “Not at all! and what would your uncle Vincent say to that? We must join sentiment with work; it will prevent suspicion; but do it quickly. Can you be ready in six days?” “Yes.” “Well, let the ‘Dolphin’ be ready to start on the 22nd.” “She shall be ready.” “On the evening of the 22nd of January, you understand, send a shore-boat with your best men to White Point, at the end of the town; wait there till nine o’clock, and then you will see Mr. Halliburtt and your servant.” “But how will you manage to effect Mr. Halliburtt’s deliverance, and also escape yourself?” “That’s my look-out.” “Dear Crockston, you are going to risk your life then, to save my father!” “Don’t be uneasy, Miss Jenny, I shall risk absolutely nothing, you may believe me.” “Well,” asked James Playfair, “when must I have you locked up?” “To-day—you understand—I demoralize your crew; there is no time to be lost.” “Would you like any money? it may be of use to you in the citadel.” “Money to buy the gaoler! Oh, no! it would be a poor bargain; when one goes there the gaoler keeps the money and the prisoner! No! I have surer means than that; however, a few dollars may be useful; one must be able to drink, if needs be.” “And intoxicate the gaoler.” “No, an intoxicated gaoler would spoil everything. No, I tell you I have an idea, let me work it out.” “Here, my good fellow, are ten dollars.” “It is too much, but I will return what is over.” “Well, then, are you ready?” “Quite ready to be a downright rogue.” “Let us go to work then.” “Crockston,” said the young girl, in a faltering voice, “you are the best man on earth.” “I know it,”replied the American, laughing good-humouredly. “By-the-bye, Captain, an important item.” “What is that?” “If the General proposes to hang your rebel—you know that military men like sharp work—” “Well, Crockston?” “Well, you will say that you must think about it.” “I promise you I will.” The same day to the great astonishment of the crew, who were not in the secret, Crockston with his feet and hands in irons was taken on shore by a dozen sailors, and half-an-hour after, by Captain James Playfair’s request, he was led through the streets of the town, and in spite of his resistance was imprisoned in the citadel. During this and the following days the unloading of the “Dolphin” was rapidly accomplished; the steam cranes lifted out the European cargo to make room for the native goods. The people of Charleston, who were present at this interesting work, helped the sailors, whom they held in great respect, but the Captain did not leave the brave fellows much time for receiving compliments; he was constantly behind them, and urged them on with a feverish activity, the reason of which the sailors could not suspect. Three days later, on the 18th of January, the first bales of cotton began to be packed in the hold; although James Playfair troubled himself no more about it, the firm of Playfair and Co. were making an excellent bargain, having obtained the cotton which encumbered the Charleston wharves at very far less than its value. In the meantime no news had been heard of Crockston. Jenny without saying anything about it was a prey to incessant fears, her pale face spoke for her, and James Playfair endeavoured his utmost to ease her mind. “I have all confidence in Crockston,” said he, “he is a devoted servant, as you must know better than I do, Miss Jenny. You must make yourself quite at ease; believe me, in three days you will be folded in your father’s arms.” “Ah! Mr. James,” cried the young girl, “how can I ever repay you for such devotion? How shall we ever be able to thank you?” “I will tell you when we are in English seas,” replied the young Captain. Jenny raised her tearful face to him for a moment, then her eyelids drooped, and she went back to her cabin. James Playfair hoped that the young girl would know nothing of her father’s terrible situation until he was in safety, but she was apprized of the truth by the involuntary indiscretion of a sailor. The reply from the Richmond cabinet had arrived by a courier who had been able to pass the line of outposts; the reply contained Jonathan Halliburtt’s death-warrant. The news of the approaching execution was not long in spreading through the town, and it was brought on board by one of the sailors of the “Dolphin;” the man told the Captain, without thinking that Miss Halliburtt was within hearing; the young girl uttered a piercing cry, and fell unconscious on the deck. James Playfair carried her to her cabin, but the most assiduous care was necessary to restore her to life. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the young Captain, who, with a finger on his lips, enjoined absolute silence. With difficulty she repressed the outburst of her grief, and James Playfair, leaning towards her, said gently,— “Jenny, in two hours your father will be in safety near you, or I shall have perished in endeavouring to save him!” Then he left the cabin, saying to himself, “And now he must be carried off at any price, since I must pay for his liberty with my own life and that of my crew.” The hour for action had arrived, the loading of the cotton cargo had been finished since morning; in two hours the ship would be ready to start. James Playfair had left the North Commercial Wharf and gone into the roadstead, so that he was ready to make use of the tide, which would be high at nine o’clock in the evening. It was seven o’clock when James left the young girl, and began to make preparations for departure. Until the present time the secret had been strictly kept between himself, Crockston, and Jenny; but now he thought it wise to inform Mr. Mathew of the situation of affairs, and he did so immediately. “Very well, sir,” replied Mr. Mathew, without making the least remark, “and nine o’clock is the time?” “Nine o’clock, and have the fires lit immediately, and the steam got up.” “It shall be done, Captain.” “The ‘Dolphin’ may remain at anchor; we will cut our moorings and sheer off, without losing a moment.” “Just so.” “Have a lantern placed at the main-mast-head; the night is dark, and will be foggy; we must not risk losing our way in returning; you had better have the bell for starting rung at nine o’clock.” “Your orders shall be punctually attended to, Captain.” “And now, Mr. Mathew, have a shore-boat manned with six of our best men; I am going to set out directly for ‘White Point.’ I leave Miss Jenny in your charge, and may God protect us!” “May God protect us!” repeated the first officer. Then he immediately gave the necessary orders for the fires to be lighted, and the shore-boat provided with men. In a few minutes the boat was ready, and James Playfair, after bidding Jenny good-bye, stepped into it, whilst at the same time, he saw volumes of black smoke issuing from the chimneys of the ship, and losing itself in the fog. The darkness was profound; the wind had fallen, and in the perfect silence the waters seemed to slumber in the immense harbour, whilst a few uncertain lights glimmered through the mist. James Playfair had taken his place at the rudder, and with a steady hand he guided his boat towards White Point. It was a distance of about two miles; during the day James had taken his bearings perfectly, so that he was able to make direct for Charleston Point. Eight o’clock struck from the church of St. Philip when the shore-boat ran aground at White Point. There was an hour to wait before the exact time fixed by Crockston; the quay was deserted, with the exception of the sentinel pacing to and fro on the south and east batteries. James Playfair grew impatient, and the minutes seemed hours to him. At half-past eight he heard the sound of approaching steps; he left his men with their oars clear and ready to start, and went himself to see who it was; but he had not gone ten feet when he met a band of coast-guards, in all about twenty men. James drew his revolver from his waist, deciding to make use of it, if needs be; but what could he do against these soldiers, who were coming on to the quay? The leader came up to him, and seeing the boat, asked,— “Whose craft is that?” “It is a shore-boat belonging to the ‘Dolphin,’” replied the young man. “And who are you?” “Captain James Playfair.” “I thought you had already started, and were now in the Charleston channels.” “I am ready to start. I ought even now to be on my way, but—” “But—” persisted the coast-guard. A bright idea shot through James’s mind, and he answered,— “One of my sailors is locked up in the citadel, and to tell the truth I had almost forgotten him; fortunately I thought of him in time, and I have sent my men to bring him.” “Ah! that troublesome fellow; you wish to take him back to England?” “Yes.” “He might as well be hung here as there,” said the coast-guard, laughing at his joke. “So I think,” said James Playfair, “but it is better to have the thing done in the regular way.” “Not much chance of that, Captain, when you have to face the Morris Island batteries.” “Don’t alarm yourself. I got in and I’ll get out again.” “Prosperous voyage to you!” “Thank you.” With this the men went off, and the shore was left silent. At this moment nine o’clock struck; it was the appointed moment. James felt his heart beat violently: a whistle was heard; he replied to it, then he waited, listening, with his hand up to enjoin perfect silence on the sailors; a man appeared enveloped in a large cloak, and looking from one side to another, James ran up to him. “Mr. Halliburtt?” “I am he,” replied the man with the cloak. “God be praised!” cried James Playfair; “embark without losing a minute. Where is Crockston?” “Crockston!” exclaimed Mr. Halliburtt, amazed. “What do you mean?” “The man who has saved you and brought you here was your servant Crockston.” “The man who came with me was the gaoler from the citadel,” replied Mr. Halliburtt. “The gaoler!” cried James Playfair. Evidently he knew nothing about it, and a thousand fears crowded in his mind. “Quite right, the gaoler,” cried a well-known voice; “the gaoler is sleeping like a top in my cell.” “Crockston! you! can it be you?” exclaimed Mr. Halliburtt. “No time to talk now, master; we will explain everything to you afterwards; it is a question of life or death. Get in quick!” The three men took their places in the boat. “Push off!” cried the captain. Immediately the six oars dipped into the water; the boat darted like a fish through the waters of Charleston Harbour. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

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