down slowly towards the
mouth of the river; for the mate had been up on the cliff soon after
daybreak, busy with his glass, and had returned to report that the spot
where the gunboat lay still fast on the rocks was so distant from the
Channel through which the schooner had sailed, that it was doubtful
whether, if they attempted to sail out, she could be reached by the
small pieces that the enemy had on board.

"Then we won't give them the chance to attack again," was the skipper's
comment, and the wind favouring, the channel was soon reached, and with
the mate conning the craft, they sailed outward along the clear water,
with the men armed and ready for any attack that might be attempted by
the man-of-war's boats.

It was not very long before the boys, who had mounted aloft with their
glass to watch the deck of the foe, were able to announce that boats
were being manned for lowering, and the tortuous nature of the channel
now began to lead the schooner ominously near; but both the skipper and
the mate were of opinion that at the rate they were sailing they would
be able to evade an attack.

"And if they are not very careful," growled the latter, "it strikes me I
shall be running one if not two of them down. They'd be much safer if
they stopped aboard."

But still the dangerous nature of the rocks forced them nearer and
nearer to the enemy.

"Not much doubt about the big gun being disabled," Poole remarked to his
companion, as they noted how busily the crew were preparing to lower the
boats. "We should have had a shot long before this."

"And there's no doubt either about the screw being fouled," said Fitz.
"I say, take the glass. They're doing something which I can't make out.
You try."

Poole re-focussed the binocular, but it was some moments before he
spoke.

"Can't you?" cried Fitz excitedly.

"Yes, but I'm not quite sure. Yes, now I am. Right!"

For at that moment a white ball of smoke shot out from the gunboat's
deck, followed by a dull thud, and something came skipping over the
heaving sea, before there was another sharp crack and a shell burst
about a hundred yards from the schooner's stern.

"I wonder whether we shall have to go any nearer," said Poole excitedly.
"They'd be able to do us a deal of mischief like that. I believe she's
got four of those small guns on board."

"Judging from their gunnery," said Fitz coolly, "they are not likely to
hit us, even if we go much more near."

"Well