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Rh deemed a favorable moment touched off the piece.

His aim was certainly a good one, for the ball hit the howitzer and sent it flying from its carriage and rolling over the deck to port. A portion of the block was splintered, and a bit of woodwork flew up and hit Watt Brown in the breast, inflicting an ugly and dangerous wound.

"Brown is killed!" burst out Dan in horror, and knelt down at his side.

"Never mind—m—e," came in a gasp from the second mate. "Repel boarders, or w—we are—lo—lost!" and then he fainted dead away.

He spoke the truth, for now the second boat was almost alongside, while Captain Kenny and his command were less than fifty feet away.

"Gory, cover the boat!" I yelled. "Dan, fire with me at the captain's crowd!" and I blazed away, and had the satisfaction of seeing another Celestial go down.

Dan followed my command and succeeded in hitting Captain Kenny in the leg. It was not a serious wound, but it made the rascal drop on his breast, uttering loud cries of pain and terror. "Don't hit me again! Don't!" he screamed, and crawled over the sands to where there was a rock, behind which he hid himself, muttering bitter imprecations at what he termed his hard luck.