t simultaneously, jarring the
old hooker to her keel. We were unable for a moment to see the effect
of the shots, for the smoke blew in over our taffrail, completely hiding
our two pursuers for a few seconds; but when it cleared away a cheer
broke from the men who were manning the after guns, for it was seen that
the flying-jib stay of our antagonist on the port quarter was cut and
the sail towing from the jib-boom end, a neat hole in her port
foretopmast studding-sail showing where the shot had passed. The other
gun had been less successful, the shot having passed through the head of
the second frigate's foresail about four feet below the yard and half-
way between the slings and the starboard yardarm, without inflicting any
further perceptible damage.

"Very well-meant! Let them try again," exclaimed the skipper
approvingly. And as the words issued from his lips we saw the two
pursuing frigates yaw broadly outward, as if by common consent, and the
next instant they both let drive a whole broadside at us. I waited
breathlessly while one might have counted "one--two," and then the sound
of an ominous crashing aloft told me that we were wounded somewhere
among our spars. A block, followed by a shower of splinters, came
hurtling down on deck, breaking the arm of a man at the aftermost
quarter-deck gun on the port side, and then a louder crash aloft caused
me to look up just in time to see our mizzen-topmast go sweeping forward
into the hollow of the maintopsail, which it split from head to foot,
the mizzen-topgallant mast snapping short off at the cap as it swooped
down upon the maintopsail yard. Two topmen were swept out of the
maintop by the wreckage in its descent, and terribly--one of them
fatally--injured, and there were a few minor damages, which, however,
were quickly repaired. Then, as some hands sprang aloft to clear away
the wreck, our stern-chasers spoke out again, the one close after the
other, and two new holes in the enemy's canvas testified to the
excellent aim of our gunners; but, unfortunately, that was the extent of
the damage, both shots having passed very close to, but _just missed_,
important spars.

The French displayed very creditable smartness in getting inboard the
flying-jib that we had cut away for them, and by the time that this was
accomplished they had drawn up so close to us that by bearing away a
point or two to port and starboard respectively, both craft were enabled
to bring the