rchance I should be
fortunate enough to capture and take her triumphantly into Port Royal
harbour. She was now well within range, so I sang out to Lindsay, who
was looking after matters on the forecastle, to know whether the nine-
pounder pivot gun was ready.

"All ready, sir, and bearing dead on the brigantine," was the answer.

"Then heave a shot across the rascal's fore-foot at once," shouted I;
"and you, my man, hoist away the ensign at the flash of the gun," I
continued to the fellow who was standing by the peak signal halliards.

As the words left my lips there was a ringing report and a smart
concussion; and, springing upon the weather rail, I was just in time to
see the shot neatly strike the water immediately under the brigantine's
figure-head, the spray from it leaping up and leaving a dark stain upon
the foot of her foretopmast staysail.

"Well aimed!" exclaimed I exultantly; "if you will all do as well as
that throughout the fight, lads, you will soon give a good account of
her."

While I was still speaking there came an answering flash from the
brigantine, which at the same moment boldly ran up a _black_ flag at her
gaff-end; and ere the report had time to reach us, a nine-pound shot
crashed fair into our bows, raking us fore and aft, and carrying off the
top of our unfortunate helmsman's head as it flew out over our taffrail.
The poor fellow sank to the deck all in a heap, without a groan,
without a quiver of the body, and I sprang to the wheel just in time to
save the schooner from broaching-to.

"Anyone hurt there, for'ard?" I shouted; for I saw two or three men
stooping as though to help someone.

"Yes, sir," answered one of the men; "poor Tom Parsons have had his
chest tore open, and I doubt it's all over with him!"

"You must avenge him, then," I shouted back. "Load again, and give it
her between wind and water if you can."

They were already reloading the gun, even as I spoke, and a minute later
the piece again rang out, the shot striking the brigantine's covering-
board fair and square, close to her midship port, and making the
splinters fly in fine style. We were now so close to her that we could
see that her decks seemed to be full of men, and I thought I heard a
shriek as our shot struck. Her reply was almost instantaneous, her
whole starboard broadside being let fly as she shot into the wind in
stays; and once more the shot--_five_ nine-pounders--came crashing in
through our bulw