The Yankee Champion — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

THE YANKEE CHAMPION. 125 *Steady, so!’ he cried; and in a moment more he - applied the match. .The first word that was spoken was by the Eng- lish captain, who had a place to the windward of the gun, and that word was of mingled pain and astonishment. Nixon leveled his glass. and found that the shot had carried away the bumkin to which the fore-tack had been hauled down, and the sloop’s foresail was flapping in the wind. A hearty cheer broke from the privateer’s crew. as they saw the result of the shot, and the old man’s eyes sparkled with intense satisfaction. “Rather a dangerous plaything, isn’t it, sir?” re- i marked Nixon to the English captain. The Englishman looked up into Walter’s face, but he had nothing to say. The sloop-of-war was now nearer, and Maynard had a better opportunity to show his skill. He loaded his gun with great care, and selected a ball that would admit of a snug canvas patch. It fitted tightly, and was rammed home. “Now, if that ball don’t deceive me, I’ll make it tell on that craft,”’ said the old man, as he took sight. ‘““Where are you aiming?”’ “Higher than I did afore.”’ Again the long gun belched forth its sheet of smoke and flame, and the men anxiously looked for _ the effect of the ahiot: “You made a mistake that time, old man,” said the English captain, in a half exulting tone, as the smoke cleared away. | “Vou didn’t hit, that’s a fact,’’ added Nixon. “Didn’t hit!’’ uttered the old gunner, in a tone of grief, as he looked at the sloop-of-war. “S Eo Eomichboo