plainly. Now, who or what may she
be? Ah! I have it. The flag-ship is sailing at haphazard after all.
The pirate has doubled and, putting out all lights, has trusted to his
luck to run past the squadron in the darkness. What good fortune for us
that he doubled to starboard, and that I took it into this noddle of
mine to have a jest against the commodore to-night! Had he turned the
other way he would certainly have escaped, as there is no ship over
there to see him, while here are we, with all lights out, and he will
run right into our arms in a few moments. Let her go off a couple of
points, Mr Reynolds."

Orders were now given by passing the word instead of by drum or whistle,
and in a few minutes the men were all standing silently at quarters,
with battle-lanterns lighted but carefully masked, and everything ready
to pour in a deadly broadside as the pirate came abreast of their ship.

As she approached, the poop-lanterns on the stern of the _Elizabeth_
were lighted to serve as a guide to the _Tiger's_ people, who, for their
part, were vastly astonished at their sudden appearance, and a light was
also displayed in the port mizzen rigging, to enable the flag-ship to
distinguish friend from foe.

Of course all disguise and concealment was now at an end; the pirate had
seen them, but--too late! She was now less than a cable's length
distant from the _Elizabeth_, and as she was bearing up, and before even
her men could leap to their quarters, the _Elizabeth_ had luffed and
delivered her starboard broadside with murderous effect. Down came the
mainmast, severed just above the deck, bringing the fore-topgallant-mast
with it; down on her crowded decks crashed the wreckage, adding its own
quota of killed and wounded to that effected by the guns of the English
vessel.

The flag-ship had already borne up, and now came foaming down to the
scene of the combat, with the _Tiger_ lumbering along astern.

The pitchy blackness of the night was illuminated redly and vividly by
the flashes of the guns. The _Black Pearl_, finding escape impossible,
had determined to fight to the bitter end. Her guns were run out, and
they at once opened a galling and well-directed fire upon the
_Elizabeth_, which replied in kind, and the night air resounded with the
report of cannon and small-arms, and was rent with cries, groans, and
screams from the wounded, and shouts and oaths from all.

The flag-ship now arrived on the scene, and,