By that time, the enemy’s fire had slackened, with the accurate shooting of MacKim’s four marksmen effective against the musketry.
“Where’s the charge bags?” MacKim looked around frantically. “There should be charge bags here.”
“What’s this?” Kennedy opened a box and threw across a small, thick-paper bag of powder.
“That must be it.” MacKim pricked the bag and poured the fine powder into the touch-hole. “We’re probably doing this in the wrong order.”
“Just load the bloody thing,” Kennedy said, as Lindsay’s screams rose to a new height.
“Yes, sir!” MacKim stuffed a serge bag of powder into the barrel, rammed it down with the rammer, rolled a round iron shot on top of the powder and rammed that home as well.
“That’s us ready, sir,” MacKim said.
“I’ll fire it; where’s the portfire?”
“
