The governor had ordered those near him to their stations.  This took Jones and Bigelow on board the Abraham, where two carronades were pointed through the stern ports, forming a battery to rake the hog pasture, which it was foreseen must be the field of battle if the enemy came by land, as it was the only island that came near enough to the Reef to be used in that way.  As for Mark himself, accompanied by Brown and Wattles, all well armed, he held his party in reserve, as a corps to be moved wherever it might be most needed.  At that all-important moment a happy idea occurred to the young governor.  The schooner was all ready for launching.  The reserve were under her bottom, intending to make a stand behind the covers of the yard, when Mark found himself at one of the spur-shores, just as Brown, armed to the teeth, came up to the other.

“Lay aside your arms,” cried the governor, “and knock away your spur-shore, Bill!—­Down with it, while I knock this away!—­Look out on deck, for we are about to launch you!”

These words were just uttered, when the schooner began to move.  All the colonists now cheered, and away the Abraham went, plunging like a battering-ram into the midst of the swimmers.  While dipping deepest, Bigelow and Jones fired both their carronades, the shot of which threw the whole basin into foam.  This combination of the means of assault was too much for savages to resist.  Waally was instantly routed.  His main body retreated into the coves of the channel, where their canoes lay, while the swimmers and stragglers got out of harm’s way, in the best manner they could.

Not a moment was to be lost.  The Abraham was brought up by a hawser, as is usual, and was immediately boarded by Mark, Bigelow and Wattles.  This gave her a crew of five men, who were every way equal to handling her.  Betts was left in command of the Reef, with the remainder of the forces.  To make sail required but two minutes, and Mark was soon under way, rounding Loam Island, or what had once been Loam Island, for it was now connected with the hog pasture, in order to get into the reach where Waally had his forces.  This reach was a quarter of a mile wide, and gave room for manoeuvring.  Although the schooner bore down to the assault with a very determined air, it was by no means Mark’s cue to come to close quarters.  Being well to windward, with plenty of room, he kept the Abraham tacking, yawing, waring, and executing other of the devices of nautical delay, whilst his men loaded and fired her guns, as fast as they could.  There were more noise and smoke, than there was bloodshed, as commonly happens on such occasions; but these sufficed to secure the victory.  The savages were soon in a real panic, and no authority of Waally’s could check their flight.  Away they paddled to leeward, straining every nerve to get away from pursuers, whom they supposed to be murderously bent on killing them to a man.  A more unequivocal flight never occurred in war.