e back!" roared the captain, "or I fire. Marines, make ready."

The lanthorns' light gleamed further on the sea as those who held them
clambered up the shrouds and held them at arms' length, and then
dimly-seen were the backs of the heads of the two swimmers, who made the
water swirl as they struck out with all their might.

"Do you hear, you scoundrels?" roared the captain again. "Come back, or
I fire."

There was no reply and the heads began to grow more faint in the gloom,
while now the news had spread through the ship, and officers and men
came tumbling up the companion ladder and out of their cabins.

"Marines, present--fire!" cried the captain.

There were two sharp clicks and as many tiny showers of sparks. That
was all.

"Why, you were not loaded!" cried the captain, fiercely, "Where is the
lieutenant? Where is the sergeant? Load, you scoundrels, load!"

The men grounded arms, and began to load quickly, the thudding of their
iron ramrods sounding strangely in the still night air.

"Pipe away the first cutter!" cried the captain. "Mr Rogerson, bring
those scoundrels back."

The shrill pipe of the boatswain was heard, and there was a rush of feet
as the captain shouted again,--

"Present--fire!"

There was a sharp flash, a loud report, and the captain stamped with
rage.

"Fire, you scoundrel, fire!" he roared at the second man, who was about
to lower his clumsy musket, after tugging in vain at the trigger, when
the piece went off, and the bullet fled skyward, sending the nearest
lanthorn held up in the shrouds out of its holder's hand, to fall with a
splash in the sea, and float for a few moments before it filled and
sank, the candle burning till the water touched the wick.

"'Pon my word!" cried the captain. "Nice state of discipline. Now
you--fire again. And you, sir, load. Can you see the men, marines?"

"No, sir. Right out of sight."

"Then fire where they were when you saw them last."

"But they won't be there now, sir."

"Silence, you scoundrel! How dare you? Fire!"

_Bang_.

"Now you: are you ready?"

"Yes, sir."

"Fire!"

_Bang_.

"Load again!" cried the captain. "Now, you scoundrels, come back or you
shall have a volley."

A strange noise came off the sea.

"Hark! What's that?" cried the captain. "A cry for help!"

"No, sir."

"What was it, then?"

"Beg pardon, sir; but I think it was one on 'em a-larfin'."

The captain gave the speaker--one of the w