if attacked, would not yield as long as he
could keep his ship afloat. The breeze, which had fallen light at
sundown, now freshened up, and the corvette made good way through the
water. At length the rearmost merchantman was overtaken. Commander
Olding hailed, and her master, in reply, gave her name.

"What do those guns mean?" asked Captain Olding.

"Can't say, sir," was the answer.

"Whereabouts in the fleet is the _Ouzel Galley_?" inquired Norman Foley.

"She was among the leading vessels at sundown, and to the northward of
most of them," answered the master. Before any other questions could be
put or replies received, the _Champion_ glided by the slow-sailing
merchant ship. Several other vessels were passed, generally too far off
for any exchange of words. Now even the flashes of the guns could be
seen, and the exact position of the combatants observed. They were but
a short distance from each other, one to the northward, hanging on the
quarter of the other. The drum beat to quarters, and the watch below
came tumbling up on deck, hurrying to the guns. It was impossible in
the darkness to distinguish the nationality of the two vessels, which
appeared to be about the same size. Captain Olding, addressing the
crew, ordered them on no account to fire, lest they might injure a
friend instead of a foe. As the _Champion_ stood on, he kept a sharp
watch through his telescope on the combatants, neither of which seemed
aware of his approach. Presently the sternmost was seen to put down her
helm and lay the other aboard on the lee side.

"The sternmost fellow is an enemy, we may depend on that," observed the
captain; "we can't use our guns without the risk of injuring our
friends."

As the _Champion_ drew near, loud shouts and cries could be heard, and
the flashes of muskets and pistols seen. It was evident that a fierce
combat was taking place; the boarders were called away ready for action.

"Shorten sail!" shouted the captain, "see the grappling-irons ready! up
with the helm!"

The next instant the two ships came in contact. Norman Foley and Gerald
were the first to spring on board; the dreadful idea had taken hold of
both of them that the vessel attacked was the _Ouzel Galley_. Of this,
the moment they reached her deck, they were convinced when they caught
sight of Owen Massey's figure, cutlass in hand, backed by Dan and
Pompey, combating with an overwhelming number of enemies, who appeared
already