As he said these words he clapped his gun to his shoulder and fired.
The steersman fell, but it had no permanent effect, save to draw a little shower of spears at the window opening, one of which passed through and stuck quivering in the bulkhead. Then another man took the steerer’s place, and the prau glided by evidently to take her station astern.
“We shall lose the boat, major,” said the captain bitterly.
“Shall we!” replied the major. “Just take my place, sir, by the door. I’m going to use my little hunting rifle now alongside of Gregory; and if a man does reach that boat I’m going to know the reason why. I’m not much given to boasting, but I can shoot straight.”
He had already proved it to some purpose, and without a word the captain took his place by the barricade, while the major went into his own cabin and returned with a little double rifle and a pouch of ammunition.
“I did not want to use this,” he said; “but things are growing serious.”
The prau had by this time been rowed to its station, and from the stir on deck it was now evident that the brass swivel-gun was being loaded and preparations made to send a volley of missiles tearing through the stern windows.
“That will be awkward, Gregory,” said the major.
“Do a lot of damage, sir,” said the mate coolly. “They are so low down in the water that they can’t send a shot along our floor. The charge will go right up and through the deck.”
“Well, at any rate I think I’ll try and stop them.”