e he had been stationed, and the
ship, so far as human noise was concerned, was as still as death. Even
the soldiers below, finding no attention paid to their cries, had
subsided into comparative quiet. The silence was broken only by the
creaking of cordage, the dashing of water against the bows, and the
groaning of the timbers. Ever and anon Hornigold's deep voice, crying
"Larboard" or "Starboard" as the case might be, rolled along the deck to
the watchful men gripping the wheel. Suddenly the old buccaneer cried
out sharply:

"There's a boat right ahead, sir."

"Run her down!" answered Morgan instantly.

"Ay, ay! Starboard! Starboard again! Let her go off another half-point.
Steady! Very well dyce. Now! Meet her! Meet her!"

The ship swept around slightly and rushed directly at the boat. It was
the boat of the Governor. Instantly wild cries arose from the men on the
thwarts. They were stopped by a stern voice.

"Ahoy, the _Mary Rose_!"

Silence.

"Ahoy, the frigate! What are you doing? Where is Admiral Kempthorne?"

At that instant the soldiers beneath the hatches suddenly resumed their
commotion, thus apprising the men in the boat that something was sadly
wrong.

"Larboard your helm!" cried a voice from the boat, "or you'll be on us.
Who's in command? What are you about?"

"Sir Harry Morgan!" shouted a voice out of the darkness. "And we mean to
run you down."

"Back water, for God's sake! Stern, all!" cried Lord Carlingford to the
paralyzed rowers; but before they could move the looming bow of the
frigate was upon them. Carlingford had risen in his boat before the
collision, and with dauntless courage he shook his bared sword in the
darkness toward the ship.

"The King will triumph!" he cried.

"You can go to hell!" shouted Morgan, "with Hawxherst and Bradley and
Kempthorne and all who oppose me."

A terrible, smashing crash cut short his words, and, amid the ripping,
tearing sound of the parting timbers of the overridden boat, and shouts,
cries, and appeals for mercy, the _Mary Rose_ swept on. One or two
beneath her forefoot leaped frantically at the bobstays, but they were
driven from their holds by savage pike thrusts from Hornigold's men.

A wild yell of elation broke from the pirates. They were completely
possessed by their success now, but Morgan stopped the noise in an
instant.

"Silence!" roared the captain. "We are not yet free. Back to your
stations! Stand by the larboard battery!"

A