had struck, we were ready to
get up new topsails and start the pumps.

Luckily there was little water below. In spite of the tremendous
straining the ship had made no more than could be expected, and in a
little over an hour at the brakes we had the satisfaction of having the
pumps suck.

All that morning we worked aloft getting new gear up. The British ship
drew away on our weather beam, wallowing horribly in the seaway. The wind
died away gradually into a good stiff gale, and by noon we had a break or
two above us that let down the sunlight. This cheered all hands. A good
meal with extra coffee was served forward, and I sat down to the cabin
table with Chips and the steward, to eat ravenously of prime junk and
preserved potatoes.

"'Tis a quare time ye had ag'in last night, forrads, hey?" said Chips.

"It was interesting for a few minutes," I answered. "I hope you fixed
the fellow's irons all right. Keys seem to have strange ways aboard
this vessel."

"Well, ye needn't be afear'd av th' raskil takin' leave ag'in. Sure, an'
I riveted his irons this time, as will take a file an' no less to cut
through. I votes we get th' old man to put him aboard th' first ship what
comes a-heavin' down nigh enough, hey?"

"It would suit me all right," I answered.

"Jim and Long Tom an' Hans an' a whole lot av us have th' matter in
mind, an' we'll speak wid th' skipper afore long. There's a divil's mess
below in th' fore-peak, where a barrel has bruk loose that I'll have to
mix wid first. Be ye a-goin' in th' boat aboard th' stranger whin th'
sea goes down?"

"I suppose so," I said; "that lot generally falls to a second mate."

"Be sure, thin, ye have th' plug in all right an' th' oars sound, fer th'
sea will be heavy fer a bad craft, and ye mind th' irons last night."

"I'll just take a look at them before I start. Chips," I said. "Thank you
for keeping tabs on the skipper."

"It's no great matter," he answered; and then we fell to with a will
until the meal was finished.

VIII

At three bells in the afternoon the sea had begun to go down enough to
allow us to get our new topsails on her and a main-topgallantsail. The
_Pirate_ went smoking through it under the pressure, trembling with each
surge, and throwing a perfect storm of water over her catheads. The
English ship was now a mere speck to windward, almost hull down, and we
would have to beat up to her if we could.

Just how badly she needed help we of cou