and wildly waving for assistance. They were taken
aboard the British man-of-war, and given food and drink, of both of
which they partook greedily; for their sole sustenance during the four
days for which they clung to their frail raft was rain-water sucked
from a piece of blanket.

So died Capt. Nicholas Biddle, blown to atoms by the explosion of his
ship in the midst of battle. Though but a young officer, not having
completed his twenty-seventh year, he left an enduring name in the
naval annals of his country. Though his service was short, the fame he
won was great.

Among the more notable commanders who did good service on the sea was
Capt. Samuel Tucker, who was put in command of the frigate "Boston" in
the latter part of the year 1777. Tucker was an old and tried seaman,
and is furthermore one of the most picturesque figures in the naval
history of the Revolution. He first showed his love for the sea in the
way that Yankee boys from time immemorial have shown it,--by running
away from home, and shipping as a cabin-boy. The ship which he chose
was the British sloop-of-war "Royal George," and the boy found himself
face to face with the rigid naval discipline of the British service at
that time. But he stuck manfully to the career he had chosen, and
gradually mastered not only the details of a seaman's duty, but much
of the art of navigation; so that when finally he got his discharge
from the "Royal George," he shipped as second mate on a Salem
merchantman. It was on his first voyage in this capacity that he first
showed the mettle that was in him. Two Algerine corsairs, their decks
crowded with men, their long low hulls cleaving the waves like
dolphins, had given chase to the merchantman. The captain of the
threatened ship grew faint-hearted: he sought courage in liquor, and
soon became unable to manage his vessel. Tucker took the helm. He saw
that there was no chance of escape in flight, for the corsairs were
too fleet. There was no hope of victory in a battle, for the pirates
were too strong. But the trim New England schooner minded her helm
better than her lanteen-rigged pursuers, and this fact Tucker put to
good account.

Putting his helm hard down, he headed the schooner directly for the
piratical craft. By skilful manoeuvring, he secured such a position
that either pirate, by firing upon him, was in danger of firing into
his fellow corsair. This position he managed to maintain until
nightfall, when he slipp