Theygotwithinahundredyardsofit，andallsawitplainly，scarcebelievingtheirsenses。
Whentheycouldgetnonearerforthewind，thecaptainyieldedtothatinstinctwhichurgesmanalwaystokillacuriosity，\"toencouragetherest，\"assaiththewittyVoltaire。\"Getreadyagun——bestshotintheshiplayandfireit。\"
Thiswassoondone。Bangwentthegun。Theshotstruckthewaterclosetothebrute，andmayhavestruckhimunderwater，foraughtIknow。Anyway，itsorelydisturbedhim；forherearedintotheairacolumnofserpent\'sfleshthatlookedasthickasthemaintopmastofaseventy-four，openedamouththatlookedcapaciousenoughtoswallowthelargestbuoyanchorintheship，and，withastrangegratingnoisebetweenabarkandahiss，dived，andwasseennomore。
Whenhewasgone，theyalllookedatoneanotherlikemenawakingfromadream。
Stainesalonetookitquitecoolly。Itdidnotsurprisehimintheleast。Hehadalwaysthoughtitincrediblethattheboa-