"Musket, sir?  Ay, ay, sir! here's one," answered the man, fishing one out from some hiding place and thrusting it into my hand.  Lifting the piece to my shoulder I levelled it in the direction where the canoes seemed to be congregated most thickly, and, aiming so as to send the bullet flying pretty close over the heads of the savages, pulled the trigger.  I distinctly heard the "plop" of the bullet as it struck the water, but beyond that all was as still as death.  Meanwhile, at my call, the men aloft had come sliding down the backstays and were now mustering on the fore-deck awaiting further instructions.  And at the same moment the general came forward to announce that he had quietly called the men passengers, who would be on deck in a moment, bringing their firearms with them.