"The place has got too hot for them altogether, Harry; they think
it better to run the gauntlet of the ship's guns than to be sunk
at their moorings."
Scarcely had the prahus issued from the pool, than the guns of the
ship were heard.
"I am afraid that some of them will get away, Harry. The beggars
row so fast that there won't be time to give them more than one
broadside as they pass. If the ship is aground, which is likely
enough, for the captain pushed up farther than we thought possible,
they will be pretty safe when they have once got past her."
Presently the guns were heard to fire in rapid succession. Loud
yells and cries followed; then came shouts of triumph and defiance;
then all was still, save that a few cannon shot were discharged at
regular intervals.
"They have got one of the guns round to fire over the stern, Dick.
There, it has stopped now; evidently the prahus have got round the
next corner. It is a pity that any of them should have escaped,
and they would not have done so if the Serpent had remained at the
mouth of the creek; but I suppose the captain became anxious at
the continuation of the heavy firing here, and so came up to our
help. It is lucky he did so, for, though we might have beaten them
off, they were in such tremendous force that I fancy it would have
gone hard with us in the long run.
Pages:
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111