He had framed an answer, but it remained unspoken. A puff of brown smoke darted from a bright flash amidst the trees, and the screech of a shell came loudly to the ears of the advancing foreigners, while a column of water rose suddenly in the air scarce fifty yards short of the line of boats. The two watchful gunboats, from the flanks, opened fire with their broadsides, and in a second the grove was blotted from sight by scores of explosions. “That relieves us of the stigma of firing the first shot,” Commander Hughes exclaimed gladly; “but I had hoped not to have to fire at all. My prayer was that the rebels would disperse at this show of force.” The boats had not covered another hundred yards when the town broke forth, in its entire length, with a hail of rifle shots; the distance was too great to see the flashes and hear distinctly the discharges, but the water in front and around the boats was cut to foam by the hissing missiles. As the boats drew nearer, the rattle of musketry came sharply to Phil’s ears, while he heard again the wailing bullets speeding by him. The attacking sailors were silent, but the flank gunboats poured a storm of shell into the town. Phil glanced admiringly at his captain; the latter was strikingly cool in face of the stubborn resistance with which he had not reckoned; he had believed that the rebels were but an unorganized mob and could easily be intimidated by the allied forces; but instead he now saw that the enemy was in force and well intrenched, while the screech of shell and explosion of shrapnel above the sailors’ heads bore witness that these Chinese outlaws were well supplied with modern ordnance. A few boats in the long line wavered and held back, but the majority kept steadily on, followed in but a few seconds by those less brave. “When we ground,” Commander Hughes commanded, “you go to the right, Perry, and you, Langdon, to the left: tell the officers to advance at double time straight upon the intrenchments. We dare not stop now; given the slightest encouragement, the Chinese could repulse us.” Phil felt the launch tremble, and then a grating sound told him the boat had reached as near the shore as its draft would allow. Without hesitation, he jumped waist-deep into the water and waded to the shore, a scant hundred yards away. He saw his two companions follow his lead, then he started away at top speed up the beach amidst a perfect storm of bullets, giving to the leader of each detachment as he passed the commands of his captain. “Form a skirmish line and advance on the double,” he shouted to boat after boat as their keels grated on the sandy shore; then reaching the last boat, he quickly turned and raced back to join his captain.