Chapter 79

Lanier rose from the pit, seated himself in the stern, and took the tiller. The engine was racing; Mayne went forward and lay flat on deck, rifle in hand. “Take a shot at those boats around the cofferdam,” said Lanier. Mayne fired; flashes came from cofferdam and barge and bullets whanged and whined overhead until _The Moccasin_ was out of range. Astern it was difficult to make out the Tiger Island fleet,—a few blots here and there. “Don’t you think we’d better make another dash at them?” said Dirck, trying to spea…