ge, remained silent
for the next five minutes; and then George, who was keenly watching her,
saw another flash, another puff of white fleecy smoke, and once more the
ball came bounding over the water, straight for the barque.

"It will reach us this time," thought the skipper; and he was right, the
shot striking the water about forty feet from the side of the _Aurora_
and then bounding harmlessly over her, except for a hole which it
punched in the main try-sail in its passage.

"Now, lads," said George, "it's our turn. Mr Ritson, run out the gun,
if you please, and show us what you can do in the way of shooting."

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Ritson gleefully, "the water's smooth, the
ship's steady, and altogether it's a capital day for this kind of work.
Man the tackles, there; run out; muzzle to the right, a trifle; not too
much; so, well there; elevate the muzzle a _leetle_ more; there, that'll
do; I'll try that. Now then, Snowball, let's have that `loggerhead.'
Ned, just freshen that priming a bit. Now stand clear, lads, and you,
Tom, touch her off when I give the word."

Then, stooping down, he glanced along the sights for an instant or two,
and finally gave the word "Fire!"

At the word Tom promptly applied the loggerhead; there was a ringing
report; and as the smoke cleared off the shot was seen to strike the
water close alongside the schooner, and the next instant a white scar in
her bulwarks attested Ritson's skill as a marksman and showed that the
shot had taken effect. A hearty cheer from the _Aurora's_ crew
manifested their elation at this lucky hit; and George, who was watching
the schooner through his telescope, quietly remarked--

"Thank you, Ritson; that was capitally aimed; you must have done some
execution among the crew of that craft, too, for there is a great deal
of confusion among them on deck, I see. Ah! there they fire again."

Once more the shot came flying straight for the barque; and once more it
whistled harmlessly over her, just touching the main-mast as it passed,
but inflicting no injury on the spar.

"Capital practice on both sides," remarked the skipper coolly; "six
inches further to the right, gentlemen, and you would have plumped that
shot right into our main-mast. Now try again, Ritson, and aim for his
spars; the sooner we can cripple him the better will be out chances of
getting clear of him without loss to ourselves."

Again the _Aurora's_ long nine rang out its sharp repo