en would struggle to
the last, yet she felt that they might be overcome; and she scarcely
dared to contemplate what her fate might be. The alarm of her young
attendant was almost beyond control.

"Oh, Holy Mary!" she shrieked out, as the first shot was fired; "the
dreadful battle has begun, and we shall be killed. Oh, why did we leave
our dear Valetta, to come on the stormy sea, when one moment we are
about to be drowned and the next murdered--ah me, ah me!" and the poor
girl burst into tears. Another shot was heard, and she started and
trembled afresh.

Ada tried to console her. "Listen now, Marianna," she said, "those
shots are fired from this vessel, and, therefore, they cannot hurt us,
though they may our enemies. It is only those which are sent from the
other ship can injure us; as yet, none seem to have been discharged."

"May the saints prevent the wretches from sending any!" exclaimed
Marianna through her tears. "Perhaps they will not fire on a British
ship."

"Heaven grant it may be so," said Ada, "but I fear not. That sounds as
if our ship had been struck."

It was the sharp sound of a spar being wounded, which, like an electric
shock, reverberated through the vessel. Another and another followed.

"Oh, the enemy must be close to us! My dear, dear mistress, what is
going to happen?" shrieked the poor Maltese girl.

"Put your trust in Heaven, Marianna; and, though we are unable to
discern it, the means may at the last moment be found for our
preservation," said Ada solemnly. "I would that I were allowed to
venture on deck, to learn that my uncle has not suffered in this
dreadful fire."

"Oh, do not leave me, my mistress," exclaimed Marianna, clinging to her
dress. "You will be killed, to a certainty, if you go up among all the
fighting. No, you shall not go!"

Ada did not attempt to disengage herself, for she remembered her promise
to Colonel Gauntlett, and she felt how worse than useless she would
there be. Still louder and more frequent became the roar of the enemy's
guns, and the crashes, as the spars and rigging came falling down on
deck. Then came other frightful noises in quick succession, as the
pirate poured in her two broadsides, and lastly the loud, grating sound,
as she finally ran alongside, and the two vessels ground together as
they lay locked in their deadly embrace. At the same instant arose the
shouts of defiance raised by the British seamen, mingled with the
shrieks