he "Thisbe," deprived of her after-sail, paid off before the wind, and
thus the French frigate ran directly into her, on the starboard quarter,
the enemy's bowsprit hanging over the stump of her mainmast. The
opportunity of securing the French ship was not lost, though her crew
attempted to rush on board, as before, to prevent the operation.

While the captain and most of the superior officers who had escaped
wounds or death were engaged in repelling them, Rolf caused himself to
be brought nearer to the mainmast, that he might superintend the crew in
lashing the bowsprit to it.

This time they took care that it should not again break away; and now
the "Thisbe," running directly off before the wind, dragged the
Frenchman after her.

The fight had been hot before, but it became hotter still. Again and
again the Frenchmen endeavoured to cut away those second lashings, but
the English marines kept up so hot a fire, that each time the attempt
was frustrated. Still the enemy showed no signs of yielding. Something
must be done. Wounded as he was, Morton dragged himself up to where the
captain was standing.

"I beg your pardon, Captain Courtney, but if we could get a couple of
guns run out abaft on the main-deck, we could silence that fellow pretty
quickly," he said, touching his hat with all due formality.

It was somewhat out of rule for the boatswain to offer his advice
unasked to the captain, but under the circumstances the irregularity was
easily overlooked by such a man as Captain Courtney.

"You are right, Mr Morton," he answered; "send the carpenter and his
crew aft, Mr Calder," to the second lieutenant. "Get the two after
guns on the main-deck ready to run out astern as soon as we have some
ports made for them."

Having given this order, the captain descended to the main-deck.

Mr Gimbol, the carpenter, soon made his appearance there from below,
where he had been going his rounds through the wings, to stop any
shot-holes which might have been made between wind and water.

With axes and saws he and his crew set to work, but the upper transom
beam resisted all their efforts.

"We must blow out some ports," exclaimed the captain. "Send the firemen
here."

A gang of men with buckets were quickly on the spot. The guns were
pointed aft. "Fire!" cried the captain. The two guns went off
together, and as the suffocating smoke blew off, two holes with jagged
edges were seen in the stern, but flames were bu