But the enemy, enraged at our escape, now crowded down to the bank and began to fire rapidly, while the men replied till the _crack crack_ and _ping ping_ of the rifles was silenced,--the men stopping as if by mutual consent.  For there was a flash from the side of the _Teaser_ right in front of us, a shell whistled over our heads and crashed in among the trees where the petty firing of the matchlocks was kept up. Then--_crash_! the shell sent shrieking amongst them exploded, and all was still but the steady beating of our oars.