Seven enormous pontoons, each 50 feet long, were made and lashed to the wreck. Two strong tripods were built up from the side of the hull, so that cables attached to the ends of the masts could be carried over them and hauled on by a couple of tugs when the time came to right the ship. The cables from the masts ran straight up in the air to the tops of the tripods, and when tugs began pulling, the tendency was to drag the ship over into an upright position. Inch by inch the _Gladiator_ was turned after a terrific struggle, helped by 280 tons of iron which the salvors piled on the keel to press it down while the tugs were hauling up. The fight was severe, and even when she was righted her upper deck was still several feet under water, so the salvors determined to cover it with a huge coffer-dam built of strong planks. This coffer-dam looked like a great deck-house built up from the sides of the ship, and as it was made watertight and pumped out, it helped to pull the vessel to the surface. [Illustration: _By courtesy of the Merritt & Chapman Wrecking Company_ A VERY STRIKING VIEW OF THE OVERTURNED LINER ST. PAUL, WHICH PROVIDED SOME DIFFICULT PROBLEMS FOR THE AMERICAN SALVAGE EXPERTS] Five months of strenuous work saw the pumps conquering the sea. The cruiser rose sluggishly, the tugs caught hold of her, and nightfall saw the little procession creeping into Portsmouth harbour. The cost of raising the wrecked cruiser was £50,500, and ultimately the Admiralty sold her to the shipbreakers for £15,125. [Illustration: _By courtesy of the Merritt & Chapman Wrecking Company_ TEN YEARS TO THE VERY DAY AFTER THE LINER ST. PAUL SANK H.M.S. GLADIATOR IN THE SOLENT, SHE HERSELF TURNED OVER AND SANK AT HER QUAY IN NEW YORK. SAILORS MAY BE SEEN MAKING A PROMENADE OF HER HULL THE NEXT DAY] The end of the _Gladiator_ was the beginning of a dramatic sequel, a sequel so remarkable that it borders almost on the uncanny, raising once more the question whether there is anything in those legends of ghostly ships, like the _Flying Dutchman_, flitting about the seas until they are avenged or their long quest is over. For year after year the _St. Paul_ sped along the sea lanes between America and England, thrusting through fog and shine and storm. Then the Great War demanded her conversion into a troopship, and early in the spring of 1918 the work was completed.