said Bailey, who paused in his work of helping the men to lay out
from the wagon parts of the apparatus.

Larry watched intently. Now and then he gazed out to the ship, a
speck of black amid white foam, for the seas were breaking over her.

At the side of the cannon was a box, containing the line, one end of
which was fastened to the projectile. The rope was coiled in a
peculiar cris-cross manner, to prevent it being tangled as it paid
rapidly out when the shot was fired.

"All ready?" called Captain Needam, as he looked at his men.

"Ready, sir," answered George Tucker.

"Put in the primer!" ordered the chief of the life savers. One of
the men inserted a percussion fuse in the touchhole of the mortar.
The captain grasped a lanyard. The men all stood at attention,
waiting to see the effect of the shot.

Captain Needam sighted over the muzzle of the cannon. It was
pointed so as to clear the stern of the ship, but this was
necessary, as the high wind would carry the projectile to one side.

The arm of the captain stiffened. The lanyard tauted. There was a
spark at the breach of the mortar, a sharp crackle as the primer
ignited, and then a dull boom as the charge was fired. Through the
mist of rain Larry saw a black object shooting out toward the ship.
After it trailed the long thin line, like a tail to a kite.