Word was passed below, and the
soldiers poured up on deck, stooping as they reached it, and taking their
places under the bulwarks. The major had already asked for volunteers
among the officers, to fire the guns. All had at once offered to do so.
"As it was your proposal, Terence," the major said, "you shall have the
honour of firing one; Ryan, you take another; Lieutenant Marks and Mr.
Haines, you take the other two, and then England and Ireland will be
equally represented."
The deck of the lugger was crowded with men, and the course she was
steering brought her within a length of the _Sea-horse__. Some of the men
were preparing to lower her boats, when suddenly a thick line of red coats
appeared above the bulwarks, two hundred muskets poured in their fire,
while the contents of the four guns swept her deck. The effect of the fire
was tremendous. The deck was in a moment covered with dead and dying men;
half a minute later another volley, fired by the remaining companies,
completed the work of destruction. The halliards of one of the lugger's
sails had been cut by the grape, and the sail now came down with a run to
the deck.
"Down below, all of you," the major shouted, "the fellow behind will rake
us in a minute."
The soldiers ran down to the hold again. A minute later the brig, sailing
across the stern, poured in the fire of her guns one by one.
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