"
"Divil a bit will the blackguards iver come near enough for that," cried
Terrence, boldly mounting the breastwork. "Captain, lave me have a
squint through yer glass," and Terrence, assuming a liberty which he
only could, took the glass from his hand. The screaming shell and
whistling shot continued to come from the _Xenophon_. "Faith, thim bees
buzz nicely round a fellow's ears," added Terrence.
Fernando seized his glass, when the thirty-two was again sighted and
fixed it on the ship. As the heavy boom shook the earth, he saw a great
splash of water twelve feet from the bow.
"Let some one else train the gun," he cried. "You miss the mark."
All appeals to Fernando to come down from his dangerous position were
unavailing. His anxiety to pierce the _Xenophon_ with the thirty-two
kept him on the parapet directing the gunners, while balls and shells
shrieked about him. Job tried three shots; but only one did any injury,
and that was some insignificant damage to the rigging. Fernando saw at
once their disadvantage.
"Oh, if we only had one experienced gunner, he would drive the ship
from the harbor," he thought.
Lieutenant Willard tried three or four shots, and one struck the bow.
With glass in hand, Fernando remained on the earthworks, watching the
effect of their balls and giving orders to the gunners, while balls and
shells flew screaming around him.
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