"What is it?" Adam Colfax shouted back.
"How far away would you say that bonfire is?" asked Henry, pointing to one of the great fires on the southern shore.
"Not more than four hundred yards."
"Then, sir, we can put it out."
"Put it out?" exclaimed Adam Colfax in amazement. "I would not dare to land men for such a purpose!"
"It is not necessary. We must shoot it out. You've got good gunners, and the cannon can then do it. They might put a lot of the warriors there out of the fight at the same time."
One of the brass twelve pounders was mounted on the Independence, and Adam Colfax was taken at once with the idea.
"I should have thought of that before," he said. "I hate to lose any of our cannon balls, but we must spare a few. Uncover the gun and aim at the nearest fire, hitting it at the base if you can."
This to the gunners, who obeyed eagerly. They had been chafing throughout the running of the gantlet as they stood beside their beloved but idle piece.
The tompion was drawn from the gun, the polished brass of which gleamed through the night and the rain. It was a splendid piece, and the chief gunner, as well as Adam Colfax, looked at it with pride.