Click.
A pause.
Click.
In each case a tiny shower of sparks followed the fall of the hammer, and the captain uttered an angry roar like that of some stricken beast.
“Back!” he cried; and all fell away from the door, to right and left.
It was time, for three spears were thrust through the narrow slit as the gun was withdrawn, and kept on darting about as far in every direction as their holders could reach.
“German!” cried the captain, tossing the gun to the man, “and after all I have said!”
Norman stepped forward to fire, but his father checked him.
“Give me your piece,” he said; and taking it and cocking both locks, he dropped a bullet in each of the barrels, felt with the ramrod that they were well home, and then going down on one knee, took careful aim through the darkened loophole and fired.
There was a roar and a crash; the spears were withdrawn, and the captain rose and stepped forward, firing the second barrel from the loophole itself.