"Here she comes again!" yelled Jim, poking his head over the gunwale in his excitement. As the schooner fired, all the castaways, with the exception of Jack steering, bobbed down in the bottom of the boat, as the latter cried: "Lie low everybody," at the same time pushing Loyola down on to the floorboards. This time there was a dull thud aft. "Hulled, by God!" burst out the bluejacket. "Torn my only pair of dungarees," said Jack coolly. "Rifle bullet clean through us." "Not hurt, Jack?" asked Loyola piteously, her voice trembling. "No fear, Lolie; just a graze, that's all." "Chance shot!" remarked Bill. "What range is you sightin' at, Broncho?" "Six hundred." "Better make it five," advised Jack. "She's closed up on us a bit, but the sea and wind are moderating every minute. Tari, come and take the steering-oar. We'll bring all our battery to bear." Whereupon the Kanaka changed places with Jack. Seeing that he had utterly failed in his attempt to make the whaleboat heave-to, the marooner now ceased firing for a spell; but having put his hand in the fire, it was now too late to draw it out. It was his life against theirs now, and he crowded sail in pursuit with desperate purpose. But the three riflemen in the whaleboat continued to pump lead in his direction, hoping by a lucky shot to cool his ardour sufficiently to make him sheer off. Presently the schooner's maingaff dropped its peak. "Halliards shot away!" exclaimed the rolling-stone. Jim burst into a cheer. "Easy, sonny, easy," said Bill gravely. "It's too early yet to begin shouting." The _Black Adder_ soon had her mainpeak hoisted again, but the whaleboat's success was too much for the pirate's temper. Her helm was put up, and as she fell off her whole side burst into flame. The water was cut up all round the whaleboat by the shower of lead. It flew over the castaways, whining and humming through the air, and the boat quivered under the shock of three hits. "Gee whiskers! Shrapnel!" exclaimed Bill concernedly. "Slugs and pot-legs," agreed Jack, shaking off some blood which was running down his hand. "Any one hurt?" he continued. "Why, you are, Jack!" cried Loyola in great distress. "Only a scratch on the arm," remarked the former carelessly. "Let me bind it up." "No time now, Lolie. Well-aimed broadside that; 'bout four hundred, isn't it, Bill?" "Aye." "Plug those shot-holes if you can, Jim," went on the rover in a most unconcerned voice. He knew that things were looking serious, but the last thing he wished to do was to show the boat's crew that he thought so. "He shore cuts loose some lead that time," muttered Broncho. "The kyards is comin' some swift. Thar's nothin' tender about that 'ere maverick; he's plumb wolf from away back." "More cartridges here, powder-monkey," laughed Bill cheerily to the boy. Jim reached over to the bag, but Loyola was quicker, and held out her two small hands with all they could hold in front of the bluejacket.