he ports, in order to avoid discouraging the
survivors. Still the fight continued with unabated fury.

"Fire away, my lads!" cried Captain Jumper; and his words were echoed by
the officers in all directions. "We will sink the enemy or go down with
our own colours flying. Never let it be said that the `Weymouth' had to
strike to a Frenchman!"

The speech was a very short one, but it had its effect in encouraging
the crew. Scarcely a minute afterwards a fearful sound was heard. It
was that of an explosion. And the ship trembled from stem to stern,
while those on the quarter-deck saw the poop lifting up into the air,
sending some of those on it overboard, and killing several others.

"Fire, fire!" was shouted; "the ship's on fire!"

"We have water enough alongside, my lads, to extinguish it!" cried the
captain, in an undaunted tone; and in an instant those of the crew not
actually working the guns were hurried up with buckets, with which they
soon put out the flames. The Frenchmen shouted, thinking that they were
about to gain the victory, but they were answered by a loud cheer of
defiance from the British seamen.

It became now absolutely necessary for the "Weymouth" to stand away from
the enemy for a short time to repair damages. The only fear of the
British sailors was that in the meantime the enemy might attempt to
escape.

"No fear of that, lads!" cried the brave captain, who knew what they
were speaking of. "See, we have made too many shot-holes between `wind
and water,' and in a few minutes the main-mast will go by the board, if
the wind increases."

This was very evident, for while the "Weymouth" put her helm down, to
stand away from the "Fougueux" for a short distance, the other
immediately ceased firing. The survivors of her crew were probably
engaged in attempting to repair the damages she had received. This gave
the English leisure to perform their own work without interruption.

Jack as he was leaving his gun to go aloft, looked round him. Of those
who had stood but lately by his side, several were missing. Smedley was
nowhere to be seen. He inquired among the crew of his gun.

"Yes; a shot struck him and he was carried below, but whether mortally
wounded or not, no one could tell."

As he passed up the hatchway, the man whom he took to be Burdale lay on
the deck. A bullet which had found its way through a port had struck
him down. He was bleeding also from a wound in his shoulder.