,"--here I involuntarily grasped Bang's hand--"and I
doubt if I shall see another sunset, for we are going to fight against
fearful odds."

"Well," interrupted Bangs, "if the enemy is too strong for you, why
didn't you leave him to himself, my dear fellow, and take to flight?"

"A thousand things, my worthy friend, prevented me from taking such a
step. I am a young man and a young officer, and must win my character
in the service; no, it is impossible to fly; an older and more tried
seaman than myself might have done so, but I must fight; if a shot
finishes me, will you, my dear friend, deliver this portfolio to my
poor mother, whose only support I am?"

As I uttered these words, the scalding tears rolled in torrents down
my cheeks. I trembled like a leaf, and firmly pressing my friend's
hand in mine, I fell on my knees and fervently and silently prayed to
that God in whose all-mighty hand my destiny lay, that he would give
me strength on this day, to do my duty as became an English sailor.
Bangs knelt by my side. Suddenly my tears ceased to flow and I arose.

"I am not ashamed to have shown so much feeling before you, my
friend."

"Don't mention it, my dear boy, neither of us will fight any the worse
for it."

I looked at him in astonishment.

"Are you going to fight?" I asked.

"Of course I am," replied he; "why not? I have no longer either mother
or wife. Fight? Of course I will fight."

IV.

"Another shot, sir," cried Tailtackle, through the open cabin window.

All was now noise and confusion, and I hastened on deck. Our opponent
was a large brig of at least three hundred tons burthen, a low vessel
painted black. Its sides were as round as an apple, the yards were
unusually large, and it was evidently filled with men. I counted nine
guns on a side and prayed silently that they might not prove long
guns. I was not a little horrified to find, on looking through the
glass, that the deck was covered with naked negroes. That the vessel
was a slaver, I had not for a moment doubted, and I had also imagined
that its crew might number fifty men, but that the captain would
resort to such a dangerous expedient--dangerous to himself as well as
to us--as to arm the slaves, had never entered my mind, and it
startled me not a little to find that he had done so, as it showed
that I must expect the most desperate resistance.

Tailtackle had pulled off his jacket, and was standing by my side. His
belt was tightly dr