y of the cannon balls."

"No, I don't want you to do that."

"Besides, I don't want to use either of the powder-bags, and they're
made for a regular charge."

"Beg pardon, sir," cried Cross. "Might make small charges up with a
snuff of powder wrapped up in paper; and then I could prick and prime."

"Um-m-m!" the captain growled, and frowned, while the gun crew stood
with parted lips, looking as eager as so many boys on the Fifth of
November. Then the captain grunted.

"There, Mr Rodd," he said, "it will be a bit of practice for the lads,
and it won't please you, of course. You don't want to see the gun
really fired?"

"Oh, I have seen salutes fired, at Plymouth."

"Ah, so you have, of course, my lad. But those are bangs, and this
would be a bit of a whiff."

"That doesn't matter," said Rodd. "It will be real, and not pretending
to fire."

"Very well," said the captain, smiling grimly. "Maybe you'd like to
fire?"

"Yes, I should," cried Rodd. "No; let Joe Cross and the other men do
that. I'll stand aside."

There was a little more discussion, quite in opposition to ordinary
drill, while the skipper went below and then returned with a pound
gunpowder canister painted red.

"I say, look here, Chubb," cried the doctor. "Shall I have to move?"

"Oh no, sir; we shan't shoot you," replied the skipper grimly. "You'll
be safe enough, unless the long gun bursts. But she's too new and
strong for that. Here you are, Cross. Make that into four charges."

The speaker was in the act of passing the canister to the man, when the
look-out man from forward suddenly shouted--

"Sail ho!"

"Where away?" cried the captain. "About five points off the starboard
bow, sir. Leastwise, sir, it aren't a sail. It's a big boat, bottom
upwards and just awash."

"Stop a minute," cried Rodd. "I'll fetch our glass."

"Bring mine too, my lad," cried the captain, and Rodd raised his hand in
token of his having heard the order, as he dashed to the cabin hatch, to
return directly after and find that his uncle was forward along with the
skipper scanning the object about a quarter of a mile away.

"Catch hold, uncle," cried Rodd, and he held out the telescope with one
hand, and the captain's big mahogany tubed spy-glass, decorated with
coloured flags, with the other.

"No, focus it and use it yourself, boy. I'll have a look afterwards."

Rodd raised the glass at once to his eye, but by this time the skipper
had cau