'That fire was well directed,' said Callum.
'It has staggered those devils in the boats—I see them throwing aside their oars,' added Jack.
'Stretch out—stretch out!' I exclaimed, drawing my sword; 'and be ready, every man of yous to fire the moment I give the word!'
It was most unfortunate for the yacht that her guns were rendered useless by her heel to port; but the fire of her small-arms was brisk; and a yell replied, as the caiques, which had been warily pulled in a line duly astern of her, now dashed upon her quarters, and a vigorous attempt was made by the Turks to board. In the moonlight we could see the momentary gleam of sabres as they were brandished, and of bayonets as they were pointed; the flashing of pistols, and the appearance of dark faces and darker figures, as they strove to gain a footing on the side-chains, and to force a passage, by fighting, to the schooner's deck, but were thrust over by the bayonet or beaten down by the clubbed musket; and were dashed, wounded and bleeding, into the sandy and blood-stained water, which took them up to the girdle, or little above it. With all their efforts, it was evident the yachts-men would have the worst of it ere long, for some of the Greek villains had just forced a passage to the deck, when one more stroke of the sweeps brought us within sure range.
'Now, Highlanders,' cried I, 'ready!—present!—you can pick off these fellows like a covey of partridges.'
'Or sparrows on a midden,' added Callum, as thirty Minie rifles, levelled low, were fired out of the gloomy shade, and thirty spherical rifled bullets whistled among the dark crowd which filled the caiques.
'Keep up your fire, my lads,' cried I, 'and give way—stretch out!' I added to the galiondgis; 'close up—let us only come hand to hand with them; pull right across the stern of the yacht, and rake the boats alongside.'
This enabled us to sweep the caiques on both sides of her; and my men kept up a brisk fire. As they had sixty rounds each, there was no danger of their running short of ammunition. Yells of fear and rage were now blended with those of pain, and the water was full of dead and wounded wretches, from among whom some forty or fifty of the survivors were frantically endeavouring to escape; and to the astonishment of the yachts-men, who were totally unable to comprehend from what quarter this unexpected succour had come, the attack was abandoned with precipitation; and two of the caiques were pulled rapidly away, while the others floated alongside, deserted by their crews; for all who were not lying dead on the thwarts, or struggling with wounds and broken limbs in the water, had scrambled ashore and fled.
The attack had been made by not less than sixty outlaws—all savage-looking Suliotes, half-black Natolians, wild Arabs, and Candiote mariners. Of these nearly twenty had been sent to their last account; but the affair was not over yet.
Four or five had fought their way on board the yacht; but when our fire had swept the water alongside, they all sprang overboard, save one, who concealed himself in one of the quarter-boats, at the moment we boarded the schooner.