ling and encountered the
officer who led the boarders.

"You will not injure a beaten foe!" he exclaimed. "You know me, though
you must be surprised to find me where I am. See, my shipmates have
surrendered and can offer no further resistance."

As he spoke he put out his right hand, which the French officer grasped,
and together they walked aside, where they held a hurried conversation
while the survivors of the crew threw down their weapons. The
Frenchmen, however, while their leader's eye was off them, rushed into
the cabin and began ransacking the lockers and appropriating such
articles as took their fancy. Dan, on observing this, sprang before
them and placed himself at the door of Norah's berth, into which he
would allow no one to enter.

"You can't come in here, mounseers," he exclaimed; "shure, you'll be too
polite to frighten a lady out of her wits--and it's already fright
enough she's had with hearing all the hullabaloo you've been after
making."

Dan hoped by this artifice to prevent the Frenchmen searching for Norah,
which he was afraid they might have done had they broken into the cabin
and discovered female gear. As it was, he made them understand that the
captain's wife was the occupant of the cabin.

Meantime Owen, overcome by loss of blood, sank exhausted on the deck.
The French officer, a fair, slightly built man, with more the appearance
of a Briton than a Gaul, now approached Captain Tracy and addressed him
in English with but little French accent. "I must compliment you on
your bravery, though I cannot do so on your discretion in attempting to
resist me," he said. "Your vessel has become my prize, and, as I
understand that your cargo is of value, I must send you into a French
port; but having heard that you have the yellow fever on board, I will
not remove any of your people to my ship, though I will leave an
adequate prize crew to navigate her."

Just then the report of a pistol was heard, and a shriek was heard
coming from the hold of the ship.

"What's that?" exclaimed the French officer.

"My daughter!--save her from your people!" cried Captain Tracy, hurrying
towards the main hatchway. The more active Frenchman sprang before him
and descended, followed by the captain and Carnegan, who, suffering from
his wound, was less able than they were to move quickly. The Frenchman
by his loud shouts soon let his men know that he was approaching. On
reaching the hold he found Gerald in