tion.

"Well done, Owen--fire the other and try to wing him," cried the
captain. While the crew were loading the first gun, Owen fired the
second. The captain, who had his glass turned towards the enemy,
shouted, "Hurrah! it's struck the fore-topsail yard."

The spar, however, remained standing, and some of the Frenchmen were
seen running aloft to fish it. Owen sprang back to the first gun he had
fired, and again discharged it; but the enemy at that moment kept away,
and before what damage it had effected could be seen, clouds of smoke
issued from her, and the shot from her whole broadside came rushing
towards the chase. They were mostly aimed high, and either went through
the sails or passed by without doing any injury; but two struck the
quarter, and another glanced along the side, leaving a long white
furrow.

"Those shots were well aimed, but if she plays that trick often we shall
have a better chance of escaping," observed the captain, calmly; "try
another shot, Owen."

The French ship quickly came up to the wind. Owen again fired, and one
of the Frenchmen was seen to drop to the deck. The enemy had now
brought a gun on the forecastle, from which they opened fire in return
to the _Ouzel Galley's_ stern-chasers. Both vessels then fired away as
fast as the guns could be loaded and run out; but though most of Owen's
shot told with some effect, the damage he produced was speedily
repaired, while several of the Frenchmen's shot struck the _Ouzel
Galley_, though as yet no one had been injured. The former was,
however, in the mean time, creeping up nearer and nearer, and also, from
sailing closer to the wind, weathering on the chase. The second mate,
who had been walking the deck with as much calmness as if no fight was
going on, again came up to the captain.

"I before warned you that it would be useless to contend with yonder
ship," he said, "and before many minutes are over we shall have the shot
from her broadside crashing on board us. By holding out you risk your
own and your people's lives, and the lives of others dear to you--for it
is more than possible that another broadside will send the ship and all
in her to the bottom. We must--"

Before the captain could reply the enemy fired his two foremost guns,
the shot from which shattering the bulwarks sent pieces of splinter
flying about, one of which struck Carnegan on the arm.

"It might have been worse," he observed; and after staggering a few
p