n. There was a tremendous scuffle on
the Indiaman's deck for perhaps half a minute, with a great popping of
pistols, the sound of heavy blows, cheers from our lads, loud
execrations on the part of the Frenchmen, a shriek or two of pain at
some well-directed cut or thrust, then a rush forward, during which we
remained some twenty fathoms to leeward of the Indiaman, ready to sheer
alongside again and render assistance if necessary; and then Lovell
sprang up on the poop and hailed that he had secured possession of the
ship, and would haul his wind as soon as he could get in the studding-
sails. Thereupon our helm was put hard up, and we wore short round,
bracing sharp up on the starboard tack to intercept the lugger, which
craft was now foaming along under all the canvas that she could spread.

She was a big lump of a craft, of her class, measuring, according to my
estimation, fully a hundred and fifty tons; and she appeared to be very
fast. It was light enough by this time, what with the increasing
daylight and the clearing away of the fog, for us to see that she
mounted four guns--probably six-pounders--of a side, and there was
something very like a long nine-pounder covered over by a tarpaulin,
between her fore and mainmasts. She was well to windward of us, and
presently crossed our bows at a distance of about a mile. We, of
course, at once tacked, and, letting the schooner go along clean full,
so as to head off the lugger, set our topgallant-sail and small gaff-
topsail.

We rapidly neared each other, the _Dolphin_ gradually edging away as the
lugger fore-reached upon us, until only half a mile of water divided the
two craft. Then we saw that her people were busy with the mysterious
object between her masts, and presently, sure enough, a long nine-
pounder, mounted upon a pivot, stood revealed. Five minutes later they
tried a shot at us from this same piece--the ball from which struck the
water some five fathoms astern of us,--and at the same time hoisted the
French tricolour. We responded by running our ensign up to the gaff,
but reserved our fire for a while, the skipper having as yet had no
opportunity of finding out our lads' capabilities with the guns. At
length, however, having edged up to within a quarter of a mile of the
lugger, and having conclusively demonstrated our superiority of sailing,
Captain Winter gave orders that our larboard broadside should be
carefully levelled and trained upon the lugge