e assailants. A dozen more suffered by that
discharge. Waally now saw that a crisis was reached, and his efforts to
recover the ground lost were worthy of his reputation. Calling to the
swimmers, he succeeded in getting them down into the water in scores.

The governor had ordered those near him to their stations. This took
Jones and Bigelow on board the Abraham, where two carronades were
pointed through the stern ports, forming a battery to rake the hog
pasture, which it was foreseen must be the field of battle if the enemy
came by land, as it was the only island that came near enough to the
Reef to be used in that way. As for Mark himself, accompanied by Brown
and Wattles, all well armed, he held his party in reserve, as a corps to
be moved wherever it might be most needed. At that all-important moment
a happy idea occurred to the young governor. The schooner was all ready
for launching. The reserve were under her bottom, intending to make a
stand behind the covers of the yard, when Mark found himself at one of
the spur-shores, just as Brown, armed to the teeth, came up to the
other.

"Lay aside your arms," cried the governor, "and knock away your
spur-shore, Bill!--Down with it, while I knock this away!--Look out on
deck, for we are about to launch you!"

These words were just uttered, when the schooner began to move. All the
colonists now cheered, and away the Abraham went, plunging like a
battering-ram into the midst of the swimmers. While dipping deepest,
Bigelow and Jones fired both their carronades, the shot of which threw
the whole basin into foam. This combination of the means of assault was
too much for savages to resist. Waally was instantly routed. His main
body retreated into the coves of the channel, where their canoes lay,
while the swimmers and stragglers got out of harm's way, in the best
manner they could.

Not a moment was to be lost. The Abraham was brought up by a hawser, as
is usual, and was immediately boarded by Mark, Bigelow and Wattles. This
gave her a crew of five men, who were every way equal to handling her.
Betts was left in command of the Reef, with the remainder of the forces.
To make sail required but two minutes, and Mark was soon under way,
rounding Loam Island, or what had _once_ been Loam Island, for it was
now connected with the hog pasture, in order to get into the reach where
Waally had his forces. This reach was a quarter of a mile wide, and gave
room for manoeuvring. Althou