Page:At the Fall of Port Arthur.djvu/237

Rh came a flash which told of an explosion of a quantity of powder.

"If we could only hit the magazine it would be good-by to that fort," said Larry, but this was not to be.

After the first few shots the fort had remained silent, but now, when the Shohirika was about to retire, the gunners opened up once more, and a rain of shot and shell flew all around the warship. One struck the bow of the vessel, tearing off a few feet of the forward deck and another entered the forward turret, killing one of the gunner's assistants.

"We can be thankful we weren't in that turret," said Luke, when he received the latter news.

"Yes, indeed!" murmured Larry, and could not repress a shiver. "I can tell you, it's mighty risky work after all!" he added, soberly.

"Well, we've got one advantage over those fellows," put in Colton, after the firing had come to an end, and the warship was fast getting out of range. "We can run away, while they have got to stay right where they are."

"Oh, they can run away too," said Larry.

"Not unless they abandon their fort,—and that would be just as if we should abandon our ship."