He hurried below for his camera, while the captain gave his order about the cannon, and the crew ran the gun out on the bow.
When Tom came up from his stateroom he saw that the spout was much nearer. But the course of the Silver Star had been so changed that she was in comparatively no danger of being struck, unless the waterspout suddenly shifted.
“All ready now with that gun!” cried the captain.
“All ready! Aye, aye, sir!” came the answer.
Tom was taking several views of the waterspout as it was whirling along, and some of the other passengers, grown bolder as they saw that there was no danger, were doing the same.
“Ready to snap her, Tom?” asked the commander.
“Yes, sir,” answered our hero.
“Then here she goes! Fire!”
There was a puff of white smoke, a dull flame, and a report that seemed to jar the whole ship. Tom had a glimpse of something black bounding over the waves. It was the round shot from the old-fashioned cannon, and had no great speed, as cannon balls go.
“Get ready, Tom!” called the captain.