he boat caused Christy to
look very anxiously to the forward deck; but to his great satisfaction
he saw that the captain had not been hit. But he immediately retired
under the pilot-house, so that he could not see him. He was brave enough
to stand up and be shot at, but he was also prudent enough not to expose
himself unnecessarily.

Three other shots followed the first, one of the balls passing through
the boards of the pilot-house, above the helmsman's head; and he saw a
splinter fly from a stanchion forward. Captain Pecklar waited for the
fourth shot,--and he had evidently noticed how many men had muskets in
their hands,--then he sprang out from his hiding-place, sighted the gun,
and pulled the lock-string.

Through the aperture he had made, Christy looked with intense interest
to ascertain the effect of this shot. As soon as the smoke blew away,
he saw that the shot had passed obliquely into the boat, striking the
stern-board just behind Major Pierson, and splitting off the plank near
the water-line.

There was a commotion in the ranks of the enemy, and it was plain enough
that the water was flowing into the craft. The soldiers stopped rowing,
and the lieutenant and one of the extra men were sent into the bow. This
change settled the bow of the boat down into the water, and lifted the
stern. The major appeared to be equal to the emergency; he gave his
orders in a loud voice, and the rowing was renewed with the delay of not
more than a couple of minutes. But that was enough to defeat his present
purpose, though he still urged his men to exert themselves to the
utmost.

The long-boat went astern of the tug, and Christy came out from his
place on the floor to the windows. Captain Pecklar was loading the gun,
as he had done before, by swinging it around so that the muzzle was
under the pilot-house.

"I think you will have no further use for that gun," said Christy, when
he saw what the captain was doing.

"Perhaps not; but it is best to have it ready for the next time we want
it. The major kept it loaded all the time, and I shall follow his
example," replied the captain.

"Have you been hit, Percy?" asked Christy, looking out at the side under
which the late pilot had bestowed himself for safe-keeping.

"I have not been hit; they could not see me where I am. Have you been
hit, Christy?" replied Percy.

"Not at all; I took good care not to be seen while they were firing. But
your brother has dropped astern of