scymitars flashing in their hands, swarmed
in the rigging of the corsair and came leaping down on our deck. Led by
Lancelot, Dick and I fighting by his side, we met them with hanger,
pike, and pistol, driving them back over the bulwarks, or cleaving them
from head to chine as they got within reach of our swords.

Those who were about to follow, seeing the rate of the first, held back,
and the next moment the ships separated. Ere they did so their sides
were brought close to each other, and I saw a man make a tremendous
spring from that of the enemy and grip hold of our bulwarks, to which he
clung desperately, crying out--

"I am an Englishman; save me, save me!" Several shots were fired at him
by the corsairs; but he escaped, and some of our men rushing to his
rescue hauled him on board.

"To the guns, to the guns!" shouted Lancelot, and we again began to work
our artillery with the same rapidity as before.

CHAPTER NINE.

THE CORSAIR BEATEN OFF.

After the failure of her attempt to board us, the corsair hauled aft her
sheets and shot ahead of the _Good Hope_. We believing that she
intended to rake us, quickly got headsail on the ship, and by squaring
away the afteryards, and brailing up the mizen, put her before the wind,
all the time blazing away as fast as we could with our guns. Instead,
however, of passing either astern or ahead of us, which having all her
canvas set, she might easily have done, the corsair kept on a wind, and
presently, when beyond the range of our guns, going about she stood away
to the south-west. We had beaten off our big assailant, and we might
possibly in a longer contest have compelled her to strike or sent her to
the bottom, but we were in no condition to follow her. All hands being
required to repair damages, some time passed before we could question
the stranger who had taken refuge on board us. As he looked sick and
careworn, Lancelot had directed that he should be conducted to the
cabin, where, the ship having at length been put somewhat to rights, I
was able to join him. Finding that having been properly looked after
and supplied with food he had much recovered, I inquired who he was and
from whence he came.

"My name is Joseph Aylett; I am an Englishman and a sea officer," he
answered. "I was captured many a long month ago, on board a vessel by a
ship from Tunis, not far from where we now are. The night was dark, the
sea smooth, a light breeze only filling our