Just then, as I was thinking that the junk must escape, one of our big guns was fired with a crash which made the deck vibrate. There was a tremendous puff of smoke, which was drawn toward us so that I could not see the effect, but the shell seemed to burst almost directly with a peculiar dull crash, and another yell arose from the distant vessel. Only it was not a derisive cry like the last, but a faint startling chorus of long-continued shrieks, despairing and wild. "That's got her, sir," cried Mr Reardon; and we waited impatiently for the smoke to float by. But it still shut out the junk from where we stood, while it passed away from the men forward at the gun, and they gave us the first endorsement of Mr Reardon's words by bursting out into a hearty cheer, which was taken up by the crews of the other guns. Then we were clear of the smoke, looking landward to see a crowd of men struggling in the water, swimming about to reach planks and pieces of the junk, which had been blown almost to pieces by our great shell, and had sunk at once, while yet quite a mile from the nearest rocks. "Ha!" ejaculated the captain, "a good evening's work! Now, Reardon, down with the other two boats, and save every poor wretch you can." "Only one left, sir," cried Mr Reardon; and in a few minutes, fully manned, she was about to be lowered down, when I looked quickly at the captain, and he read my meaning. "Want to go?" he said, and then nodded sharply. I dashed down, climbed upon the bulwark, seized the falls just as they were about to be cast off, and slid down into the stern to take my place. Then the oars fell with a splash, and away we went over the ruddy sea to try and save all we could of the wretches upon whom so terrible a retribution had come. One of the warrant officers was in command; he gave me a grim nod. "Want to see the fun?" he said. "I want to see the men saved," I replied; "I don't know where the fun comes in." "You soon will," he said. "Look out for yourself, my lad; and don't be too eager to help them." "Why?" "You'll soon see," he said gruffly. Then turning to the four marines in the stern-sheets--"fix bayonets, and keep a sharp look-out." I looked at him wonderingly, for fixed bayonets did not seem very suitable things for saving drowning men. But I said nothing, only sheltered my eyes from the level rays of the sun as we rowed swiftly on, and gazed across the water at the despairing wretches fighting for their lives upon the blood-red surface of the water. It was very horrible after a time, for, as I looked with my heart feeling contracted, I saw a man, who had been swimming hard, suddenly throw up his hands and sink. It was too much for me. "Row, my lads, row," I cried; "we may catch him as he comes up." "No," said the warrant officer grimly, "we shall never see him again." "But try, try!" I cried.