Commodore Junk — page 199: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

192 COMMODORE JUNE. that came from time to time, and the firing went on, Hum- phrey and his officers being astounded at the ability with which the schooner’s guns were served and the accuracy of their aim. “No wonder that they’ve carried all before them among the merchantmen,” muttered Humphrey, as a shot came crash- ing into them, and three men were carried below disabled by splinters. As he spoke he looked anxiously round, to make sure that the schooner would not be able to pass them in the approaching darkness, and then, feeling more and more that men who could serve their guns so well would be terrible adversaries in a case of boarding, and determined to spare his men till the schooner ro)) was disabled, he kept up the artillery duel till the only guide for laying their guns was the flash of the enemy’s pieces when some shot was fired. By this time the fire of the buccaneers had proved so effective that the sloop’s bulwarks were shattered and her decks were slippery with blood, while her captain was fuming with rage at the unfortunate aim of his men; for, though the schooner had evidently been hit again and again, she seemed to have escaped the vital injury that a shot would have produced in one of her spars. All at once, just as the darkness had become complete, the firing of the schooner ceased ; and to have continued that on board of the sloop would have been wasting shot. “Man the launch and jolly-boat!” said the captain sharply, and their crews waited with intense excitement the orders to go and board the schooner, a faint groan of disappointment arising as the men heard the instructions given to the two leutenants to patrol on either side of the sloop, and be ready to attack and board only if the buccaneer should attempt to steal off in the darkness and escape. GEomicbooks