d soon there was a muffled roar as the
first broadside spoke in the still air. Another and another followed,
and the Dutchman trembled like an aspen leaf.

"Hah," shouted the enthusiastic Renee, "up goes the white flag!"

Sure enough, the vessel struck, and aboard of her was the Dutch
commodore. But the _Hercule_ was beaten off by the second Dutchman,
and, as the privateers boarded the captured vessel, the East Indiaman
showed a clean pair of heels, under a cloud of bellying canvas.

Du Guay-Trouin was delighted. "On we go, Boys," he cried, "for we'll
sail these waters until we strike another prize." And this is what
soon happened.

On May the 12th, the _Diligente_ was cruising alone, when, suddenly
six white dots appeared upon the horizon, and six British
ships-of-the-line were soon closing in upon the venturous French
navigator and his crew.

"Ye Gods," cried the doughty Frenchman, "we're in for it now, but we
will give them a lively bout even though we'll get the worst of it."

And here is how he has described the battle:

"One of the English ships named _Adventure_ first overtook me, and we
maintained a running fight for nearly four hours, before any other of
their ships could come up....

"At length my two topmasts were shot away; on which the _Adventure_
ranged up alongside me, a short pistol-shot off, and hauled up her
courses. Seeing her so near, it occurred to me to run foul of her and
board her with my whole crew. Forthwith I ordered such of the officers
as were near to send the people on deck, got ready the grapnels, and
put the helm over.

"We were just on the point of hooking on to her, when unfortunately,
one of my Lieutenants, looking out through a port and seeing the two
ships so close together, took it into his head that there was some
mistake, as he could not think that--under the circumstances--I had
any intention of boarding; and so, of himself, ordered the helm to be
reversed.

"I had no idea of what had been done, and was impatiently waiting for
the two ships to clash together, ready to throw myself on board the
enemy; but seeing that my ship did not obey her helm, I ran to the
wheel, and found it had been changed without my order.

"I had it again jammed hard on; but perceived, with the keenest
vexation, that the captain of the _Adventure_, having guessed by the
expression of my face what I had meant to do, had let fall his
courses, and was sheering off. We had been so near that my b