lays pulled, we had every reason to hope that we should get clear
of them.

CHAPTER FOUR.

The pirates, though so roughly handled, continued hovering on every
side, making way with their oars, perhaps hoping that the wind might
fall, and should the brig be becalmed that they might attack us with
greater advantage than before. Happily, however, the breeze freshened,
and we kept up so continuous a fire from our long gun and carronades
that they were afraid of approaching nearer.

"Keep it up, my lads," said the captain, "we shall soon give them the
go-bye. They'll not wish to pay us another visit."

Soon after this, looking eastward, I saw the first bright streaks of the
dawn appearing in the sky. The light rapidly increased; we could now
clearly distinguish the prahus dotting the smooth ocean. There were a
dozen of them at least, and we had sent two, if not more, to the bottom.
I had hitherto been so busily employed in working one of the guns that
I had been unable to make any inquiries of the stranger as to who he was
or where he had come from. He had been assisting at the aftermost gun
until, overcome with fatigue, he had sunk down on the deck just under
the poop, where he had remained unnoticed. As our crew saw the pirate
fleet dropping astern out of range of our guns they broke into loud
cheers, joined in even by those most badly wounded. At the same time
the sun, appearing like an arch of fire, rose from behind the distant
land, suffusing the whole eastern sky with a ruddy glow, and then
rapidly shooting upward, the entire circle made its appearance. I now
hurried off to the stranger, followed by the first mate, hoping that he
might give us tidings of my father, yet almost dreading to hear what
those tidings might be. He tried to rise as we approached, but had
scarcely strength left to do so. His countenance was pale, his clothes
wet and blood-stained.

Uncle Jack lifted him up and seated him on a gun. "You are hungry and
knocked up, my man. When you have had some food you shall tell us where
you came from, and how you got on board the brig."

"Thank you, sir. I do want food, and should be glad to get a wound I
have in my side looked to, as it is beginning to hurt."

Uncle Jack told me to go and forage in the cabin for such food as I
could lay hands on, while he did his best to bind up the man's wound.
The second mate and steward, I should have said, were engaged in
attending to the hurts of