lorable results to the little _Wasp_ and her crew, for we
were by this time so close to each other that it was practically
impossible for either side to miss; and now it was that her superior
weight of metal began to tell.

Our casualties were by this time becoming serious, for we had already
lost nine men killed outright, while every moment more wounded were
being taken down into my cabin, where Saunders, the surgeon, was working
like a nigger, affording temporary relief--he could do no more just
then--to the injured. We were still devoting all our energies to the
task of getting to windward of our antagonist, and firing at her as fast
as our leaping guns could be loaded, in the endeavour to disable her,
when they succeeded in bringing her again to the wind, and as she
rounded-to they gave us their whole broadside of seven 12-pounders, with
a shot from their long 32-pounder by way of make-weight. The result was
absolutely disastrous, for as the iron shower hurtled about our ears
there was a crashing, tearing sound aloft, and away went both our masts
over the side, the foremast shot away close to the deck, while the
mainmast went about half-way up its length. Nor, bad as this was, was
it all, for poor Willoughby, who was standing by my side, had the top of
his skull literally shot away, and fell dead into my arms. The next
moment the carpenter came to me with the report that we had been hit
between wind and water by a 32-pound shot, and that the schooner was
making water fast.

The pirates cheered with ferocious glee as they saw the plight to which
they had reduced us, and their captain--a tall, handsome scoundrel, with
a very Spanish-looking cast of countenance--had the impudence to leap up
on the rail of his vessel and hail us, demanding to know whether we had
struck!

"No!" I shouted back fiercely; "and we never will to such a hang-dog,
murderous set of scoundrels as man that schooner. Do your worst, you
villains. You have the advantage of us this time, but when next we meet
it will be my turn!"

"You crow loudly, young cockerel," retorted the pirate captain
scornfully, "but if your men are wise they will leave their guns and go
below, for I swear to you that if they fire another shot I will sink
you!"

"Sink us, then, and be hanged to you!" I yelled back in reply. Then in
my exasperation I whipped a pistol out of my belt, and levelling it at
him, pulled the trigger. But he did not mean to be shot if