at inspired their companions to revenge
and caused them to hasten the reloading and firing of the cannon. But
unfortunately the _Bonhomme Richard_ suffered from her own guns as well
as from those of the enemy. On the lower gun deck was an improvised
battery of six 18-pounders, two of which burst, killing most of the men
at work there and tearing away the deck above them. The remainder of the
men refused to serve the other guns, and thus the _Bonhomme Richard_ was
deprived of the services of her heaviest battery, in addition to the
serious loss in dead and wounded.

Captain Jones forged ahead, crossing his enemy's bow, while the latter
came up on his port quarter. They were within a biscuit's toss of each
other, wrapped in dense smoke, lit up by the jets of flame which were
continuous. Mingled with the terrific booming was the spiteful rattle of
musketry from the tops and yells and cries of the wounded. The decks of
the _Bonhomme Richard_ were slippery with blood, which increased until
the men, as they ran to and fro, splashed in it, like children playing
in a mud puddle, and it was the same on the _Serapis_. It found its
outlet through the scuppers and crimsoned the deep blue of the ocean.

[Illustration: FIGHT BETWEEN "BONHOMME RICHARD" AND "SERAPIS."]

Some of the shots from the _Serapis_ pierced the _Bonhomme Richard_
under the water line, causing her to leak badly. Deprived of his
18-pound guns by reason of the accident mentioned, Jones was forced to
rely upon his 12-pounders. They were worked for all that was in them,
but the whole fourteen were silenced in little more than half an hour
and seven of the quarter deck and forecastle guns were dismounted. She
was left with three 9-pounders, which, being loaded and aimed under the
eye of Jones himself, did frightful execution on the deck of the enemy.

An hour had passed and the men were fighting furiously, when the full
moon appeared above the horizon and lit up the fearful scene. The
_Serapis_ attempted to cross the bow of the _Bonhomme Richard_, but
miscalculated and the _Bonhomme Richard_ shoved her bowsprit over the
other's stern. In the lull that followed, when each expected his
antagonist to board, Captain Pearson called out:

"Have you struck?"

"Struck!" shouted back Jones; "I am just beginning to fight!"

The _Serapis_ made another effort to get into position to rake the
American, but in the blinding smoke she ran her jibboom afoul of the
starboard miz