"Now, gentlemen, each pointer will have a chance to practice with Mr. Drake's bar sight before he fires," announced Commander Shaw. "Mr. Drake, you will fire first. Are you bore sighted?"
"Yes, sir, everything is ready, but I'd like to fire a trial shot."
"Very well. We'll steam to the range and give you a trial shot, and then Mr. Blair may practice aiming. Then we'll go on the range and you will commence, and when you finish the second company's gun crew will commence; as soon as they finish, and while turning the ship around for the return run, the pointers of the third and fourth crews will practice with the sight. We'll fire two pointers on a run and practice two on the return, so after six double runs we will have fired at the six targets; then a boat from the 'Standish' will patch up the targets, and after that we'll fire the other six gun crews; we ought to finish before five o'clock. Have you your range cards ready, and a stop-watch?"
"Yes, sir."
"All right." Then to Commander Brice on the bridge: "Are you making ten knots, captain?"
"Yes, sir, just exactly ten knots."
"Take your trial shot just after we pass the first buoy, Mr Drake."
"Yes, sir; I'm ready, sir."
The "Nevada" was now rapidly approaching the range, which was marked by three buoys in line, this line forming the base of the triangle, of which the targets were in the apex. The "Nevada" was to travel just outside of the line while the six-pounder was being fired.