en let her have it as soon as you are
certain of your aim."

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Tom. "I'll have her this time or you may call
me a sojer. Give the word, sir, whenever you like."

"There is no hurry, Tom," said I. "Keep her covered for another three
minutes, and then you may do as you like. And you, my man," I
continued, turning to the helmsman, "steer small for the next few
minutes, and give Tom a chance."

"Ay, ay, sir; `steer small' it is!" answered the man.

"They're at work upon that gun of theirs, sir," reported Hardy at this
moment. "Shall I fire and stop 'em, sir?"

"Yes," said I; "she will do now. But don't fire until you are
absolutely certain of her."

The galley was now within about a hundred and fifty fathoms of us,
coming on at a tremendous pace, the water leaping and foaming and
glancing about her bows, and her long length still pointed obstinately
at us. There was a brass gun mounted upon her forecastle, the rays of
the sun flashing off it as though it had been made of gold; and about
this gun some seven or eight figures could be distinctly seen busily
moving; while aft upon her poop were grouped four men in brilliant
uniforms and with their swords drawn. And beyond her forecastle,
grouped along either rail, could be just made out the heads and the
flashing weapons of a strong body of boarders, ready to spring in upon
our decks at the instant when the two hulls should come together.
Despite the anxiety and suspense of the moment I could not help
remarking to myself that, if they intended to carry us by boarding, the
commander of the galley was conning his craft in a very lubberly,
unseamanlike way.

As the thought passed through my brain there was a bright flash, a
stunning report, and a jarring of the whole frame of the schooner as our
long gun again spoke out; and, so instantly following the report that it
seemed to be almost a part of it, I distinctly heard a crash,
immediately followed by a dreadful outcry of screams and yells and
groans of mortal anguish, seeming all to start at the same instant out
of a hundred throats. Our shot had evidently gone home, and it had as
evidently told severely; but exactly how much damage it had done could
not be guessed at for the moment until our smoke had blown away to
leeward of the galley. And ere it had done this there came a flash and
a report from her, and the next instant I was aware of a shot that came
humming so closely past my head t