One of the crew was standing near with a lighted match, and old Silas, after sighting the piece carefully, motioned that fire be applied to the priming.
There was a report as of thunder; the Tigress quivered from stem to stern; and out of the cloud of white smoke I saw the ball speed toward the foremost ship.
If Silas Boyd had never aimed a cannon before, his reputation as a skilful gunner was made from that moment, for we saw the missile strike the Queen Charlotte’s mizzenmast, sending from it a shower of white splinters, and causing the spar to sway to and fro as if on the verge of falling.
What a shout went up from our little fleet at this token of gunnery!
It was as if every man tried to outdo his comrade at making a noise; and in the midst of the tumult the other gunboats paid their respects to the Britishers by sending iron balls toward them, but none save that fired by old Silas struck its target.
So engrossed were Alec and I in watching the movements of those on board the wounded ship that we entirely forgot the part we were supposed to play, and stood idly by with the sponges in our hands until the old man cried angrily:—
“Get to work, you idlers! Did you come aboard only to gape around when there was work to be done?”
It can well be fancied that we leaped forward to do our duty, and at the instant of so doing I saw half a dozen wool-like puffs of smoke from the ship’s side, which told that she was not intending to take our fire without making some return.
Once more our gun was loaded, and again old Silas squinted along the piece.
The match was applied to this second charge, and we saw the ball describe a half-circle against the sky; but the result was not the same.