"Yes," replied Kenneth.
"I'll borrow it, then," continued Morpeth. "Ahoy, there! Will you take me on the same terms?"
"Right-o," replied Wakefield.
"A hundred yards," commented "Tough Geordie," thrusting the weapon under the stump of his left arm, and opening the breech to ascertain that the chambers were loaded.
Without any apparent effort, and with what appeared to be a careless movement, Morpeth raised the weapon.
"Bang! bang! bang!" it barked in quick succession.
"A hit!" exclaimed Cumberleigh enthusiastically, as the bottle leapt almost clear of the swirling wake.
"No," replied Morpeth. "I've only cut the towline."
Thrice more the heavy pistol barked. At the sixth shot the bottle, smashed to fragments, disappeared from view.
"Not bad," commented Morpeth modestly. "Considering the lively platform, it wasn't a bad shot."