teersman.

"And I salute the Vice-Governor," continued the Spanish captain, just as
the English ship swept down upon him; and then he cried in sudden alarm
and excitement:

"Have a care, senor! What mean you? You will be aboard of us! Hard up
with the helm!"

As soon as the _Mary Rose_ had begun to fall off, ay, even before her
motion had been perceptible, Hornigold had reversed the helm.

"Flow the head sheets there," he cried, shoving the wheel over spoke by
spoke with all the force of his arms. "Flatten in aft a little, here!
Steady! Very well dyce. We're right abreast now, Captain," he said.

Almost as quickly as she had fallen off the nimble frigate, beautifully
handled, came to the wind again. She was now almost in touch with the
other ship. Hornigold's seamanship and skill had been magnificent. He
had done all that was asked of him and all that he had promised.

"Ay, ay," answered Morgan in triumphant commendation. "Handsomely done.
I could leap aboard!"

The Spanish ship was filled with confusion. The captain, with his face
black with rage, stood on the forecastle shaking his fist.

"This is outrageous, sir!" he shouted. "You have nearly run us down!
What do you want?"

"I want to return your salute," answered Morgan suavely. "Up, lads!" he
cried. As the men sprang to their feet, he roared out fiercely: "Stand
by! Fire! Pour it into them!"

The _Mary Rose_ was almost in contact with the Spanish ship, when a
perfect tornado of fire burst from her side. Every gun in her broadside,
and she was a forty-eight gun frigate, was discharged point-blank at the
astonished enemy. Not waiting to reload the guns, the crew seized the
small arms ready charged to hand, and as they slowly swept by poured a
withering fire upon the Spaniard's crowded decks. Out of the flame and
smoke the _Mary Rose_ burst upon the astounded eyes of the officers and
men of the two remaining ships. The first frigate was a wreck on the
water. Some of the pirate guns had been depressed, great holes had been
opened by the shot, the masts had been carried away, and the devoted
ship was sinking, her decks covered with dead and dying.

"We wish you the compliments of the morning, senor," roared Morgan,
facing aft toward the battered and ruined frigate. "How like you our
salute?"

But the captain of the Spanish vessel lay dead upon his bloody deck, and
if any answered the jeering taunt it was drowned by the laughter and
cheering of the Englis