Part 26 (1/2)

”Here, I shall be having all the skin rubbed off my knees,” said the mate, nodding at Brace. ”Nature never meant me to go along like a four-footed beast.”

”It is awkward,” said Brace, smiling.

”Awkward isn't the word for it,” grumbled the mate. ”Got your knife handy?”

Brace nodded, and drew it from his pocket, and the mate slit open one of the bags so as to pour about half its contents into the mouth of the little cannon.

”It's all very fine of the skipper to talk,” he said, placing the whole cartridge now in its place, ”but I'm very fond of the first mate of the 'Jason' brig, and I should be sorry to do him any mischief. I should look well, I should, if I had to go back home as a ghost to tell my wife all my bits had been eaten by the savage fish in this river. I know her ideas well, and she wouldn't like it, I can tell you. There you are; down it goes,” he continued, taking the little rammer from where it was strapped to the carriage and driving the bag home on to the top of the loose charge. ”Is the powder up, sir?”

”Yes,” said Brace; ”the touch-hole's full.”

”That's right, then. Avast there; be smart with that red-hot poker.”

The man who had taken it to the galley trotted away again in his dog-like fas.h.i.+on, disappeared, and then came into sight again directly, to shout out to the mate:

”Cook says it aren't half hot enough, sir.”

”Bring the poker,” roared the mate. ”Told you to fetch it, didn't I?

What do I want with what the cook says?”

The man darted into the galley again and reappeared directly with the poker. The other men commenced roaring with laughter when they saw him, for he limped aft like a lame dog now, one hand being occupied with the poker.

”Ahoy there!” shouted the captain; ”be smart with that gun. Look out.”

For just then the prow of a good-sized canoe appeared from beneath the overhanging boughs of the trees, and was paddled out quickly by four men, while two more stood in the stern fitting arrows to their bows.

”Steady!” growled the mate, as he slewed the mouth of the cannon round in the direction of the coming boat. ”Now then, pa.s.s me that poker.

Here, Mr Brace, you'd better get into shelter away from the pieces.

That's right, my lad. Be off.”

The man trotted back and settled himself down under the bulwark, and just then Brace laid hold of the poker.

”Let me fire,” he said.

”What, aren't you skeart, sir?” said the mate, with a grin, as he relaxed his hold.

”Not very much,” said Brace quietly; ”only that the poker isn't hot enough.”

”She'll do it, my lad. One moment; there's nothing except the wad inside, but I may as well sight the gun at the enemy and let 'em have the benefit of the blast.”

Brace stood back from the gun for a moment or two while the mate ran his eye along the little barrel, and then as the canoe was within forty yards the latter cried:

”Now then, sir; let 'em have it.”

Brace applied the end of the poker to the loose grains lying in the little rounded depression about the touch-hole of the cannon; but the cook was right: the poker was far from hot, and the end failed to ignite the powder.

”Have you a match?” said Brace, impatiently throwing the implement down.

”No,” was the reply. ”A match over here, someone.”