The gun was reloaded, and again fired; but this time, whether due to over-eagerness or some other cause, the gunner made a bad shot, the ball striking the water astern of, and some distance beyond, the brig.  Then, while the men were reloading, nine jets of flame and smoke leapt simultaneously from the brig's side, and nine round shot tore up the water unpleasantly close under our bows.