the little
flotilla in a perfect hailstorm. The Chilian ensign in the stern of
Douglas's launch was literally ripped from its staff, proving that, had
the Bolivians but depressed their rifle muzzles a trifle more, every man
in the steamer's well would have been hit by the leaden shower.
Lieutenant Alcerrerez, who was sitting next to Douglas, emitted a
curious little cough, turned half round, and fell forward over the lad's
knees, while several men in the launch sprang convulsively to their
feet, only to drop down again in a limp, motionless heap, or to fall
over the low gunwales in the violence of their death-struggles. Jim
shuddered as he thought of the fate of poor Lieutenant Alcerrerez, but
he pulled himself together and laid the poor shot-pierced body gently
down on the boat's floor grating, thereby saving his own life; for even
as he stooped, another shower of rifle-bullets hurtled into the launch,
killing several more men, and piercing the boat herself in six places
below the water-line, so that she began to take in water at an alarming
rate.

Some of the other craft had, however, come off still worse than the
_Blanco Encalada's_ launch; for the casualties were even heavier in the
_Almirante Cochrane's_ boats, while a shot had pierced the boiler of the
launch belonging to the _O'Higgins_, which immediately blew up with
disastrous results, killing and wounding nearly the whole of her crew.

The flotilla was by this time, however, within the shelter of the mole;
and a minute later the boats rushed alongside at full speed, Jim leaping
ashore at the same time as Captain Latorre, who, sword in hand, formed
his men quickly up, shouting, "Forward, my children; you have your
comrades to avenge!" And away raced the boat's crew along the pier
toward the Custom House, receiving, as they did so, another terrible
volley from the defenders. The Chilians' blood was up, however, and
they did not even pause to succour their wounded, but dashed forward,
holding their fire in reserve, and with their bayonets fixed.

Before the Bolivians could fire again, the Chilians had reached the
building, and were thus protected from the fire of its occupants, as the
loopholes were too small to allow of their rifles being depressed to any
great extent.

"Bring that bag of powder here!" roared Latorre at the top of his voice
as two men came up staggering under its weight. The petard was promptly
laid against the door; a train was led cl