llows beat us always. But, by the Lord Harry,
he shall not prevail! Guns are no good--the rogue knows that. We will
land round the point, and nab him."

By this time the moon was beginning to open the clouds, and strew the
waves with light; and the vapors, which had lain across the day, defying
all power of sun ray, were gracefully yielding, and departing softly, at
the insinuating whisper of the gliding night. Between the busy rolling
of the distant waves, and the shining prominence of forward cliffs, a
quiet space was left for ships to sail in, and for men to show activity
in shooting one another. And some of these were hurrying to do so, if
they could.

"There is little chance of hitting them in this bad light; but let them
have it, Jakins; and a guinea for you, if you can only bring that big
mainsail down."

The gunner was yearning for this, and the bellow of his piece responded
to the captain's words. But the shot only threw up a long path of
fountains, and the bilander ploughed on as merrily as before.

"Hard aport! By the Lord, I felt her touch! Go about! So, so--easy!
Now lie to, for Kestrel and Albatross to join. My certy! but that was a
narrow shave. How the beggar would have laughed if we had grounded!
Give them another shot. It will do the gun good; she wants a little
exercise."

Nothing loath was master gunner, as the other bow-gun came into bearing,
to make a little more noise in the world, and possibly produce a greater
effect. And therein he must have had a grand success, and established a
noble reputation, by carrying off a great Grimsby head, if he only had
attended to a little matter. Gunner Jakins was a celebrated shot, and
the miss he had made stirred him up to shoot again. If the other gun was
crooked, this one should be straight; and dark as it was inshore, he
got a patch of white ground to sight by. The bilander was a good sizable
object, and not to hit her anywhere would be too bad. He considered
these things carefully, and cocked both eyes, with a twinkling ambiguity
between them; then trusting mainly to the left one, as an ancient gunner
for the most part does, he watched the due moment, and fired. The smoke
curled over the sea, and so did the Dutchman's maintop-sail, for the
mast beneath it was cut clean through. Some of the crew were frightened,
as may be the bravest man when for the first time shot at; but James
Brown rubbed his horny hands.

"Now this is a good judgment for that you