each fierce black head rose into sight, there
was a tap given by a well-wielded capstan bar, and black after black
dropped back into the water, to glide astern, stunned or struggling, to
be picked up by his companions in the second boat, which was being
overtaken by others, bristling with spears, while the vessel was a
cable's length ahead and steadily increasing its speed.

"Now then, Dick, what about my calculation?" said Murray, giving his
companion a poke in the side. "Pretty near, wasn't I?"

"Humph! Luck--chance," grumbled Roberts ill-humouredly.

"Of course! But wasn't the captain right?"

"No; he ought to have given the savage wretches another lesson."

"A bloodthirsty one," said Murray. "Pooh! Don't be such a savage,
Dick."

"I'm not, sir," retorted the midshipman angrily. "What are our weapons
of war for unless to use?"

"Oh yes; of course, when they are wanted. If I were a captain I
shouldn't shrink for a minute about firing broadsides and sinking our
enemies in times of necessity, any more than I should have minded
burning out such a hornets' nest as that yonder; but the captain was
quite right over this business. Look at the wretched creatures,
regularly defeated."

"They've been allowed to escape, sir," said Roberts haughtily, "and I
feel ashamed of our commander."

"I don't," said Murray, laughing. "I think he's a peculiar eccentric
fellow, ready to say all kinds of unnecessary things; but he's as brave
as a lion--braver, for I believe lions are precious cowards sometimes."

"Pooh!" ejaculated Roberts.

"And the more I know of him the better I like him."

"And I like him the less, and I shall never rest till I can get an
exchange into another ship."

"I don't believe you," said Murray, laughing merrily.

"You don't! Why--"

"Pst! The skipper," whispered Murray.

For the captain had approached the two midshipmen, his spy-glass under
his arm and his face puckered up with a good-humoured smile.

"Laughing at it, eh?" he said. "That was a novel evolution of war,
young gentlemen, such as you never saw before, I'll be bound. There; we
might have shattered up the noble black king's fleet and left the river
red with what we did and the sharks continued afterwards, but my plan
and the master's conning of the vessel answered all purposes, and left
my powder magazine untouched ready for the time when we shall be
straining every nerve, gentlemen, to overtake that Yankee's schooner.