chase, so
that we were exposed to the fire of her consorts as well as to hers.

Under other circumstances, I believe that our captain was the last man
to have left a victory half won; but just as we were once more getting
within range of the enemy's guns, we hove-to, and he signalled to the
convoy to collect together and to continue their course to the
southward.

All on board were eager to see what was to happen. We thought that we
were going to make sail after the Indiamen, but we had not yet quite
done with the enemy. We replied by a loud cheer as the ship's head was
once more kept towards them, and then running along their line we
delivered another crashing broadside into them. We got something in
return, though, and the shot from all the three ships came more thickly
about us than ever.

Not far from the gun at which I was serving I saw Saull Ley. Once he
had disappeared, and I thought he had been wounded, but when the firing
ceased he had come back to his gun. He had evidently attempted the same
trick a second time, when we were once more unexpectedly brought into
action, for a couple of men with rope's ends were driving him back to
his station. He had no help for himself but to remain, though fear had
rendered his services of very little avail.

At last the shot he so much dreaded reached him, and I saw him struck
down bleeding on the deck. He shrieked out with terror and pain when he
found himself wounded.

"Oh, help me! help me! I shall die! I shall die! What will become of
me?" he cried out.

"Why, you'll have to go where many a better man has gone before you,"
answered the rest of the crew of his gun, who, on account of his arrant
cowardice, had no feeling of compassion for him. He was, however,
lifted from the deck and carried below, to be placed under the doctor's
care.

The enemy, who had laid to for us, seeming to consider that nothing was
to be gained by them if they continued the fight, but that they were far
more likely to have to haul down their flags or to be sunk, once more
filled and stood away from us to the northward. It seemed a question
whether we should follow or not, and I am very certain that no one felt
more regret than did our captain at having to allow the enemy to escape
when he had almost secured the victory.

The property, however, entrusted to his care on board the fleet of
Indiamen was of such vast amount that he could not venture to run the
risk of any disaste