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Two landed on the sand, helplessly flapping and gasping. George occupied the breach, and as he waved his arms and shouted, a four-pounder, leaping high, struck him on the forehead. He sat down emphatically, and another gap was made. As he struggled to his feet the vanquished members of the assaulting party fled to the main host. Honours were with the besieged.
All the establishment waited on Georgie next morning, from the tallest six-year-old, "with a mouth like a kid glove, Master Georgie," to the under-keeper strolling carelessly along the horizon, Georgie's pet rod in his hand, and "There's a four-pounder risin' below the lasher. You don't 'ave 'em in Injia, Mast-Major Georgie."
He lowered his head like a bull meditating assault, and his leering eyes shot her a glance of inquiry and suspicion. But Miss Georgie Howard met his look with a smile that was nothing more than idle amusement. "I'd like nothing better than to get that four-pounder on my line," she added. "It would be the joke of the season if a woman caught him."
Racks lined the walls, under the windows, holding long-guns and swords; the pistols and daggers and other small items were displayed on a number of long tables. In the middle of the room, glaring at the front door, was a brass four-pounder on a ship's carriage; a Philippine latanka, muzzle tilted upward, stood beside it.
When the report of the four-pounder, or the ringing of the fort bell, or a volley of musketry sounded the alarm, the women and children hurried to the fortification. Sometimes, while threading the mazes of the forest, the hapless mother and her children would fall into an ambush.
By this time others of the natives had begun to discharge their arrows; neither did a musket fired over their heads frighten them. It was not till they heard the thunder of a four-pounder that they were seriously alarmed; then the natives on deck and in the cabin leaped overboard, and, with those in the canoes, made their escape as fast as they could.
Leaders and privates had come over, some on horseback, some on ponies, and others on foot. "Give it to them!" came the sharp order, when it was light enough to locate the Mexicans with certainty, and the brass four-pounder belched forth its contents, and the battle was opened at last. "Forward!" was the cry down the line, and away swept the Texans, in two long lines, Mr.
Some of the fisher-folk along the Northern End aren't very scrupulous. They took a cargo of canned stuffs from me a year back." "And what use do you make of the four-pounder that's wrapped up in tarpaulin under your deck, Nat? And what in the world are you going to do with five barrels of gunpowder?" "How in blazes " began Captain Plum.
We must get the ship outside of this reef with as little delay as possible, for to tell you a secret" here the captain dropped his voice to a whisper "there are but two rounds a-piece left for the small arms, and only one cartridge for the four-pounder. I own to you a strong desire to be in the offing." "They will hardly attempt to board us, after the specimen they have had of what we can do."
The one battery available for service consisted of two eighteen-pounders and a four-pounder, mounted behind earth breastworks. The gunners were put under the command of an old sailor, who had been impressed into the British navy, where he served four years. The skill he thus acquired in gunnery, he now gladly used against his former oppressors.
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