aid Mr Reardon, turning to me. "We divided, my
lad! half of us came along the top of the cliff, the other half along
the shore."

There was another volley, and I saw Mr Reardon smile as he gave the
orders, and out flashed the men's cutlasses, and were fixed with a quick
tingling rattle on the muzzles of their rifles.

"Here they come, sir," cried the warrant officer at the far end of the
line.

"Yes, my lad, and we're ready for them. Now, one volley as soon as they
are together, boys, and then the blades. Bayonet every wretch who does
not throw down his arms."

A low murmur ran along the little line, and I saw our men's eyes flash
in the evening sun.

But the excitement was not complete, for, gathering strength now, and
recovering from the shock I had received, I was watching the pirates
scrambling over the ridge in haste, as if pursued, when there was a
concussion of the air, a heavy boom, and I saw the _Teaser_ come into
sight, passing through the channel south of where we stood. Then there
was a quick puff of smoke, another heavy boom, and I saw that she was
going full speed, leaving a black stream of smoke behind her, in chase
of the two junks, one of which was about a quarter of a mile away, the
other about a mile farther.

They were evidently taken by surprise, for the men were hurriedly
hoisting sail, and, as I learned afterwards, the _Teaser_ had been quite
hidden till she rounded a little promontory at the mouth of the channel
between the first and second islands--the channel for which we had so
vainly steered on the night of the storm.

The firing went on steadily, the crash of the great shell following the
report of the piece, but I had nearer and more exciting work to see
close at hand; and once more my heart beat high, as the pirates gathered
together, and, seeing the danger before them, paused for a moment or two
at the foot of the ridge slope, looked to right to see only the
perpendicular cliff, to left to see the sea, and then, uttering a savage
yell, came tearing on.

"Fire!" roared Mr Reardon, when they were about fifty yards distant,
and I saw several fall and others stagger and halt.

But the others continued their wild dash like men, and were met by our
lads, who advanced with their cutlass-bayonets at the charge.

There was a loud cheer, a savage yelling, and I saw the blades flashing
in the golden sunshine as they met. Then a minute's fierce encounter,
with men falling, and then