e to
the water, and behind which they had till now remained concealed. The
first discharge with which they saluted us knocked over two of my men,
and the next wounded two more. In addition to the musketry two pieces
of cannon were brought to bear on us, which, unfortunately for us, were
very well served. Seeing this, and believing that I and all my people
must be killed if we attempted to escape, I turned the boat's head round
and sang out for quarter, and all the disagreeables of a long
imprisonment rose up before me. So exasperated, however, were the
people on shore that they paid no attention to my request. Sumner had a
white handkerchief, and, tying it to a stretcher, waved it above our
heads. It was, however, all in vain. The enemy seemed resolved on our
destruction.

"Harry, my boy," said I, "there is no help for it. If I am hit, do your
best to carry the boat out. Now give way, my lads! If we can but hold
on a little we shall soon be clear."

Even the wounded men pulled away with all their might except one who was
too much hurt to handle an oar. I took his place and put Harry at the
helm. The shot fell thick as hail around us, the enemy shouting and
shrieking at us like demons. Still we held on. Now another of my men
was hit. Suddenly I saw little Harry turn pale. He sat upright as
before, but his compressed lips and an uneasy look about the eyes made
me fear he was hit.

"Are you hurt, Sumner?" I asked.

"I think so," he answered; "but never mind, it is nothing, I am sure."

I was sure that he was hurt, however, very much, and this made me feel
more savage against our enemies than anything that had occurred for a
long time, but there was no time to stop and examine his wound. I had
scarcely a man now left unhurt--most of them seriously so. Two poor
fellows let the oars drop from their hands, and sank down in the bottom
of the boat. Tom was one of them. Grampus, indeed, was the only man
unhurt. He seemed to bear a charmed life, for he had run in his time
more risks than any of us without receiving a wound. I was in despair,
for I every instant expected to feel a bullet enter my body, and that
after all we should fall into the hands of the enemy. The boat, too,
was almost knocked to pieces, and it seemed a wonder that she could
still swim. The wind, fortunately, was blowing strong off the land.

"We must try and get the foresail hoisted, Grampus," said I. "If we
can, we may do yet.