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At every available point he built blockhouses, barricades, and palisades; and mounted one hundred and fifty cannon. He took five hundred sailors from the war vessels to help man the guns, and thus increased the garrison to eighteen hundred fighting men.
At this moment, the "word" having been quietly passed, the men came tumbling up on deck, and Jim was obliged to abandon his survey of the Peruvians and attend to his duty of getting his own particular battery of guns ready for the coming encounter.
They were still, you know, fighting far from each other, with these terrible new weapons that had never before been used: guns that would carry beyond sight, and aeroplanes that would do What they would do no man could foretell. "I knew that we were between the two armies, and that they drew together. I knew we were in danger, and that we could not stop there and rest!
Some of six-inch bore fire as high as eight aimed shots a minute, but this is only under ideal conditions. Great care is being taken now to prolong the "life" of the big guns by using non-corrosive material for the charges.
On the 17th of October the bombardment commenced. The French and English had 117 guns in position, the Russians 130. The fire commenced at half-past six. By 8.40 a French magazine at the extreme right blew up, killing and wounding 100 men, while the French fire at this part was crushed by that of the Russians opposed to them.
"Cut along, North!" advised Dick, and, in spite of their wounds, the boy ranchers ran in crouching positions, their guns in readiness. It did not take them long to reach a point which they regarded as favorable for the trick they were going to play for it was nothing more nor less than a trick.
But they, great King, set light by our counsel, and would none of our reproof. They were for shutting their gates, and for keeping us out of the town. They also mounted their guns, they sallied out upon us, and have done us what damage they could; but we pursued them with alarm upon alarm, requiting them with such retribution as was meet, and have done some execution upon the town.
And with them came, rattling along, multitudes of those dreadful machine guns those cataracts of fire and death drawn by prancing, well-fed, shining horses. And the lips of the gunners were set for carnage; for they had received orders to take no prisoners! The world was to be taught a lesson to-day a bloody and an awful lesson. Ah! little did they think how it would be taught!
"What the green reim does teach them," explained Lady Hannah, secretly aghast at her own temerity, "is, not to be found out next time." He gave a wooden chuckle, but his regard was as menacing and his voice as gruff as ever. "I make no mouth-play with words. I talk in men and guns, and there are half a dozen among the Engelsch, niet mier, that know how to talk back.
It is scarcely necessary to add, that the reports of the two guns from a distance, and the appearance of the two vessels, put an end at once to all Waally's schemes, and induced him to commence, with the least possible delay, a second retreat from the spot which, like Nelson's frigates, might almost be said to be imprinted on his heart. Waally retired successfully, if not with much dignity.
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