ching us.

"It's no good, sir," answered Gowland. "We can't get within twenty
yards of dry ground for the mud, which is too stiff to permit of our
forcing the boat through it, but not stiff enough to support a man. I
made the attempt, and went in up to my arm-pits before they could get
hold of me to pull me out."

Meanwhile, a hot fire of grape and musketry--the latter from all four of
the craft--was being maintained upon us; our men were falling fast; and
the matter to my mind began to look very serious. Still, those who were
not hurt, or whose hurts were not very severe, worked away manfully in
an endeavour to break the boom; but it was clear--to me at least--that
our only hope lay in the pinnace's gun. If that failed, it seemed
probable that every man of us would be placed _hors de combat_ before we
could force a passage through.

Our nine-pounder was soon ready again; and then--Gowland and I having
meanwhile stationed our respective boats one on each side of the
pinnace, and by the united efforts of our crews succeeded in rolling the
logs so far over as to bring the remaining pair of coupling chains out
of the water--a second effort was made to divide the boom. The shot was
a successful one, both chains being completely cut through. Another
ringing cheer proclaimed the good news just as the gig rejoined us with
a similar piece of intelligence to that already brought by Gowland, as
to the impossibility of landing and getting at the shore-fasts of the
boom. That obstacle was now, however, happily severed, and drawing his
sword, the skipper waved it over his head as he shouted--

"Out oars, men, and give way for your lives! Follow me, the rest of the
boats. We will tackle the big fellow first, and bring the other three
to their senses afterwards with the aid of her guns."

The words were scarcely out of his mouth when another broadside of grape
hurtled in among us, now once more huddled closely together about the
breach in that deadly boom, and from the dreadful outcry that
immediately arose, the tossing of arms aloft, and the dropping of oars,
it was evident that fearful havoc had been wrought by it among our
already seriously diminished company. And, to make matters worse, it
was instantly followed by a louder, deeper report, and a crash on board
the pinnace as an eighteen-pound shot struck her gun fair upon its
starboard trunnion, dismounting the piece and sending it overboard,
while a shower of splin