antry scampered away, as fast as
they could go, to a safe distance; judging correctly that as they had
made no material impression upon a single ship, they were unlikely to
impede the proceedings of two.

Murray, accompanied by Adair, and followed by the whole of the boats of
the _Flash_, immediately pulled on board her. Groans, and expressions
which were certainly not groans, however much they were like growls,
proceeded from the crew, as they observed the damage committed by the
_Anaconda's_ shot. A very brief inspection satisfied Murray and Adair
that she was too completely ruined to allow of any hope that she could
be got off.

"It can't be helped," exclaimed poor Terence; "the only thing now to be
done is to prevent her falling into the hands of the enemy. I would
sooner have gone down in her to the bottom of this wretched pool than
this should have happened. We must blow her up; I know it--I am the
most unhappy fellow alive--I shall never get another ship, and Lucy is
farther off than ever."

"We must set her on fire, of course, or the enemy will boast that they
have captured her; but as to any blame being attached to you personally
at a court-martial, I don't believe it," answered Murray, in a tone
calculated to soothe the feelings of his friend. "From what I see, I am
pretty sure that, had old Allport not taken it into his head to knock
her to pieces, we should have got her off and put her to rights in a few
hours. The side exposed to the enemy is but slightly damaged, and he
allows that you must have fought her bravely, and that he only ordered
you to desert her for the sake of preserving the lives of you and her
crew. The first thing, however, we have to do is to weigh her guns."

Murray, having formed his plans, summoned the larger boats of the
squadron, when, after much labour, the guns were weighed, and conveyed
on board the _Giaour_. The Russian troops had taken their departure,
and a good many parties of the peasantry were seen on the shore,
spectators of what was going on, probably hoping that the wreck would be
deserted, and that they should find a rich booty on board her. They
were to be disappointed. Now came the scene most trying to Adair;
everything of value, and that time would allow, was removed; the _Flash_
was set on fire, and the boats pulled away, leaving her in flames fore
and aft.

"There goes our little barkey," exclaimed Desmond; and in a short time
she blew up, covering th