"Ugh! Longboat!" said Up-na-tan. "Now!"
Away sped the iron messenger, so carefully directed, but not one British sailor was hurt by it. It did but rudely graze the larboard stern timber of the Solway's longboat at the water line.
"Thunder!" roared the astonished lieutenant. "A hole as big as a barrel! If they haven't sunk us!"
The nearest boats on either hand pulled swiftly to the rescue, but that boat-gun would never again be fired. The other gun, in the Solway's pinnace, spoke out angrily, and, curiously enough, it had been charged with nothing but grape-shot. All of this was what Captain Avery might have described as wastage, for it was uselessly scattered over the sea.
Loud were the yells and cheers on board the Noank as her crew saw their most dangerous antagonist go under water, sinking all the faster because of the heavy cannon. Of course, the sailors whose boat had so unexpectedly gone out from under them were all picked up, but not one of them had saved pike or musket. The attacking force had therefore been diminished seriously, and there had also been many minutes of delay.
"Captain," said Groot, "I'll send another pill among them, whiles they're clustered so close together."
"Not a shot!" sharply commanded Captain Avery. "I'm thinkin'! Men! It's more'n likely there are 'pressed Americans on those boats. I won't risk it. We must get away."
"Ay, ay, sir," came heartily back from many voices. "Let 'em go."
That was what saved the really beaten British tars from any more heavy shot, and the Noank was all the while increasing her distance. The only remaining danger to her now was the mighty Solway, and her sails, full set, could be seen and studied by the glasses on the schooner.
"She's the first big ship I ever saw under full sail," said Guert to Groot. "I've only seen 'em in port."