he saw the
ship's white-spread sails, towering towards the sky, come ranging up on
their quarter.

"Down with the helm," cried the Captain. "Now, lads, fire!" The
_Dolphin_ sent a raking broadside aboard the Algerine, and the helm
being immediately put up again, she stood on her former course. Shrieks
and cries and groans came from the deck of the enemy, followed
immediately by a broadside intended to rake the _Dolphin_. Though
several shot came on board, no one was hurt. Captain Roberts knew,
however, that he could not expect to execute the same manoeuvre with the
like success. In a short time the Algerine was close abreast of her.
All the _Dolphin's_ guns had been run over to the same side, and were
now fired as rapidly as the crew could load and run them out. The
enemy, however, were not idle, and their shot came crashing aboard;
first one man was shot down, then another, still the British crew
cheered, and kept blazing away. This sort of work had been going on for
some time, when the Captain shouted, "Look out, lads! Boarders; repel
boarders!" And the Algerine was seen ranging up so as to fall
alongside, her rigging crowded with figures, arms and weapons waving,
showing their eagerness for the fight. In another minute there came a
loud crash, and a number of her crew, led by their captain. Most of
them were cut down, others driven overboard, or back into their ship,
the grappling-irons were cast loose, while the _Dolphin_ rushed forward
on her former course. Still her after-guns were plied vigorously,
though the enemy, again ranging up abreast, fired her broadsides in
return. As far as Roger could perceive, the mates behaved well,
assisting the men to work the guns. The Captain continued to cheer them
on, and presently Roger, who was standing not far off, blazing away with
his musket, saw him stagger, hurried to his assistance barely in time to
save him before he fell on the deck.

"Are you hurt, sir?" he asked.

"I am afraid somewhat badly. Do not let the men know it. Help me to
the bulwarks, where I can hold on."

He called Stephen, who was also loading and firing as fast as he could,
to come and help him. The Captain continued, wounded as he was, to
cheer on the men. Several more broadsides were exchanged, the bullets
all the time flying about like hail, when the pirate's bows were seen to
be turning from them. Presently she hauled her wind, and stood away to
the southward. The British c