Try and send your shots through the port-holes. It will be
a waste to fire them at the hull, for the balls would not penetrate
the thick timber that she is built of. Remember, the straighter you
aim the more chance there is that the Dutch won't hit us. Men don't
stop to aim very straight when they are expecting a shot among them
every second. We will fire alternately, and one gun is not to fire
until the other is loaded again. I will lay the first gun myself."
It was a good shot, and the crew cheered as they saw the splinters
fly at the edge of the port-hole. Shot after shot was fired with
varying success.
The Dutch made no reply, and seemed to ignore the presence of their
tiny foe. The crew were, for the most part, busy aloft repairing
damages, and after half an hour's firing, without eliciting a reply,
the boatswain went aft to Cyril, and suggested that they should now
aim at the spars.
"A lucky shot might do a good deal of damage, sir," he said. "The
weather is fine enough at present, but there is no saying when a
change may come, and if we could weaken one of the main spars it
might be the means of her being blown ashore, should the wind spring
up in the right direction."
Cyril assented, and fire was now directed at the masts. A few ropes
were cut away, but no serious damage was effected until a shot struck
one of the halliard blocks of the spanker, and the sail at once ran
down.
"It has taken a big bit out of the mast, too," the boatswain called
exultingly to Cyril.
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