"Let the boats tow astern," the lieutenant ordered. "We should have
to run the gantlet of that battery on shore if we were to attack
them, and might lose another boat before we reached their side. We
will fight them here."
The junks approached, those on board firing their guns, yelling
and shouting, while the drums and gongs were furiously beaten.
"They will find themselves mistaken, Percy, if they think they
are going to frighten us with all that row," Fothergill said. "You
young rascal, how did you get on board the boat without being seen?
The captain will be sure to suspect I had a hand in concealing
you."
The tars were now at work firing the gingals attached to the
bulwarks and the matchlocks with which the deck was strewn, at the
approaching junks. As they took steady aim, leaning their pieces
on the bulwarks, they did considerable execution among the Chinamen
crowded on board the junks, while the shot of the Chinese, for the
most part, whistled far overhead; but the guns of the shore battery,
which had now slewed round to bear upon them, opened with a better
aim, and several shots came crashing into the sides of the two
captured junks.
"Get ready to board, lads!" Lieutenant Oliphant shouted. "Don't
wait for them to board you, but the moment they come alongside lash
their rigging to ours and spring on board them.
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