He was confident in his power to
beat off the two privateers, and he therefore did not add a stitch of
canvas to the easy sail under which he had been holding on all night.
Presently a puff of smoke shot out from the bow of the schooner from
the weather quarter, followed almost instantaneously by one from her
consort. Two round shot struck up the water, the one under the
Indiaman's stern, the other under her forefoot.
"The rascals are well within range," the captain said quietly. "See,
they are taking off canvas again. They intend to keep at that
distance, and hammer away at us. Just what I thought would be their
tactics."
Two more shots were fired by the schooners. One flew over the deck
between the masts, and plunged harmlessly in the sea beyond. The other
struck the hull with a dull crash.
"It is lucky the ladies were sent into the hold," the captain said.
"That shot has gone right through their cabin.
"Now, my lads, have you got the sights well upon them? Fire!"
The four thirty-two pounders spoke out almost at the same moment, and
all gazed over the bulwarks anxiously to watch the effect, and a cheer
arose as it was seen how accurate had been the aim of the gunners.
Pages:
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52