Those who were not pulling the oars began to discharge revolvers at the men now mounted on the rail; but the motion of the boat and the ship seemed to defeat their aim, and no one was hit so far as was known.
"When the boat comes alongside, let the man who is in the right place for it drop his shot into it.

Be careful of it, and don't waste the iron," shouted Christy, when the decisive moment came.
"All ready, sir," responded the men along the rail.
"You are the man, Boxie! You are in the right place for the first shot," added the midshipman.
Boxie was next to him, and it would be Christy's turn next if the old man failed to do good work with his shot.

The boat came alongside, and a bowman fastened his boathook at the side of the ship, and held it in place.

At the same moment Boxie let drive his sixty-pound shot; but he ought to have waited an instant longer, for the missile dropped harmlessly into the river.
The bowman had not obtained a good hold, and he lost it, so that the boat began to drift astern.

Captain Carboneer shouted his orders, and the man got a new hold, and this time it was at the painter of the boat in which Sampson had brought off Mr.Watts and the ladies.