les appeared in her sails; while the other
shot passed harmlessly just astern of her.

There was an angry growl among the sailors, as the schooner bore away
a little, and also fired her broadside. Except that a man was struck
down by a splinter from the bulwarks, no damage was done.

"Bear up a little," the captain said to the second officer, who was
standing by the helmsman. "I want to edge in a little towards the
brig, but not enough for them to notice it.

"Now, gentlemen," he went on, to the passengers, "I have no doubt that
most of you are good shots, and I want you, after we have fired our
broadside, to direct your attention to the brig's helmsmen. If you can
render it impossible for the men to stand at the wheel, we will make
mincemeat of this fellow in no time. Directly I have fired our port
broadside, I am going to bring her up into the wind on the opposite
tack, and give him the starboard broadside at close quarters. Don't
fire until we have gone about, and then pick off the helmsmen, if you
can.

"Get ready, men."

The brig was now but a little more than a quarter of a mile distant.

"Aim at the foot of his mainmast," he went on. "Let each man fire as
he gets the mast on his sight."

A moment later the first gun fired, and the whole broadside followed
in quick succession.

"Down with the helm! Hard down, sheets and tacks!"

The men whose duty it was to trim the sails ran to the sheets and
braces. The Madras swept up into the wind, and, as her sails drew on
the other tack, she came along on a course that would take her within
a hundred yards of the brig.

As she approached, three rifles cracked out on her poop. One of the
men at the helm of the brig fell, and as he did so, half a dozen more
shots were fired; and as his companion dropped beside him, the brig,
deprived of her helm, flew up into the wind.

Three men ran aft to the wheel, but the deadly rifles spoke out again.
Two of them fell. The third dived under the bulwark, for shelter.

"Steady, men!" the captain shouted. "Fetch her mainmast out of her!"

As they swept along under the stern of the brig, each gun of their
other broadside poured in its fire in succession, raking the crowded
deck from end to end. A moment later, the mainmast was seen to sway,
and a tremendous cheer broke from the Madras as it went over the side,
dragging with it the foretopmast, with all its gear.

"Down with the helm again!" the captain shouted. "Bring her hea