own those who have come
to oppress us yet more bitterly, as if you were firing at squirrels.
Don't waste your shot; but take careful aim. Now let each lad conceal
himself as best he may under the rail so that no more than his head and
arms be exposed to view."

This little speech heartened me wonderfully, as I know it did many of
the other lads, because their faces brightened and they clutched their
muskets with a certain show of determination which told that they would
do their best to obey the command.

We made our preparations as Hiram had suggested, and were none too soon
in gaining the protection of the rail, for before he who was our leader
had made any move toward screening himself, a volley of bullets came
whistling over our heads.

The aim of the Britishers was poor, for not a missile came within ten
feet of the deck, but the jib and mainsail looked like a sieve.

Then I shouted to Hiram that he should obey his own command and get
behind the rail.

"Some one must steer the sloop lest we fail of putting her in such a
position that our consort may go free. Get to your work since the
lobster backs have opened the game, and let them see what kind of
marksmen are the Minute Boys of Boston. Now then, lads, fire as you
please so that you take steady aim!"

I believe it was Harvey Pearson who first discharged his musket, and I
saw a red-coat reel back, his arm, which had been raised to charge his
musket, falling heavily at his side.

Then came our answer to the opening fire, the sharp crackle of musketry
seemingly running the whole length of the port rail, and on the instant
the compact mass of red was shrunken, with here and there gaps which
told that more than one had been stretched upon the deck.

After having emptied my gun, and while recharging it, I turned ever so
slightly to look at our consort, which was now edging away to the
westward, we having come so far up on the enemy's quarter that he could
not have turned in pursuit without running afoul of us.

Now as to what was done in particular during the next ten minutes or
more I cannot rightly set down, because so great was my excitement and
so intense the fever which had come upon me after the first volley,
while the acrid odor of burning powder assailed my nostrils, that I
hardly know what I myself did.

I was like unto one in the delirium of fever; it seemed as if there was
a red veil before my eyes; I loaded and discharged my musket, taking aim