noise, like rain, upon the water as the bullets skimmed along upon the
surface. One white splinter flew from the _Snail's_ stern where a
single bullet struck; the rest flew wide astern of her.

"Let your piece cool a moment," said Marah, "then we will sponge and
load again, and then Jim'll try. You were too much to the right, Mr
Hugh. Your shots fell astern."

After a minute or two we cleaned the gun thoroughly and reloaded.

"Now," said Marah, "remember one thing. If you was in a ship, fighting
that other ship, you wouldn't want just to blaze away at her
broadside. No. You'd want to hit her so as your shot would rake all
along her decks from the bow aft, or from the stern forrard. You wait
a second, Master Jim, till the wind gives her bows a skew towards you,
or till her stern swings round more. There she goes. Are you ready?
Now, as she comes round; allow for it. Fire!"

Very hurriedly I made my aim, and still more hurriedly did I give
fire. Again came the bang and flash; again the gun clattered over;
but, to my joy, a smacking crack showed that the shot went home. The
shock made the old _Snail_ roll. A piece of her bow was knocked
off. Two or three bullets ripped through her sail. One bored a groove
along her, and the rest went over her.

"Good," said. Marah. "A few more like that and she's all our own. Now
it's my shot. I'll try to knock her rudder away. Wait till she
swings. There she comes! There she comes! Over a little. Up a
little. Now. Fire." He darted his linstock down upon the priming. The
gun roared and upset; the bullets banged out the _Snail's_ stern,