rsting out around them.
These, however, the firemen with their buckets quickly extinguished, and
the guns, being again loaded, opened their fire through them on the deck
of the Frenchman. The effect produced from this unexpected quarter was
terrific. Fore and aft the shot flew crashing between the decks, seldom
failing to find some victims, and oftentimes carrying off the heads of
half-a-dozen men, as they stood at their guns, in its course from one
end of the ship to the other. Never were guns more rapidly worked than
were those two twelve-pounders on board the "Thisbe." The captain stood
by, encouraging the men.

Rolf Morton went about, badly wounded as he was, to ascertain where his
services were most required. Ronald followed his father, dreading every
moment to see him fall from the effects of his first wound, or to find
that he was again hit. Once more they returned to the upper deck.
Their numbers were falling, wounds were being received, and havoc was
being made aloft and on every side. The masts of the French ship were
still standing, but from the shrieks and cries which proceeded from her
decks, there seemed little doubt that she was suffering even more than
the "Thisbe." Ronald kept watching the enemy.

"See, father!--see!" he exclaimed. "Down, down they come!" He pointed
at the Frenchman's foremast. It bent on one side, the few ropes which
held it gave way, and crash it came down over the side. The mainmast
stood, but the mizenmast in an instant afterwards followed the foremast,
preventing the crew from working the greater number of the guns.
However, with those still unencumbered they continued to fire away with
the greatest desperation. The English seamen fought on with the same
determined courage as at first. They had made up their minds that they
would take the enemy, and there was not a man on board who would have
given in till they had done so, or till the ship sunk under them.
Half-an-hour passed away. It seemed surprising that either ship could
float with the pounding they gave each other, or that any human beings
could survive on their decks amid the storm of shot and bullets rushing
across them. At length a loud cheer burst from the throats of the
English seamen, the Frenchman's last remaining mast was seen to lean
over, and down it came with a tremendous crash, crushing many in its
fall, and completely preventing the crew from working any of their guns.

"They will give in now, f