“By all means,” said the mate, and he watched keenly as the major knelt down, resting his rifle on the sill and taking aim, but waiting.
All at once there was a puff of smoke, a sharp crack, and at the same moment a deafening report from the prau, but the charge of missiles went hurtling and screaming up through the mizen rigging and away over the ship to sea.
The major’s shot was more successful, for a man fell.
“He was a little too quick for me,” said the major, reloading and waiting for another chance. “Nasty work this!” he added; “but I suppose it’s necessary.”
“Necessary, sir!” cried Gregory angrily; “think of those poor women in the cabin.”
There was a sharp crack from the major’s rifle, and another man fell.
“That’s the left barrel!” said the major, reloading. “Yes, my dear sir, I am thinking about those poor women in the cabin. Ah, would you!”
He drew trigger again, and another man who had been about to fire the lelah sprang up and dropped the match.
There was a yell, and a fresh man picked up the piece of burning match from the deck, shouted, and giving the fire a wave in the air, he was in the act of bringing it down upon the touch-hole, when the major, who had not stirred to reload, drew trigger once again, the rifle cracked, and the Malay dropped upon his face.
There was a fierce yell at this, and in the midst of tremendous confusion on board, the prau continued her course, the sweeps being worked rapidly by the crew, who were evidently in frantic haste to get out of the deadly line of fire.