ot so poor
Sam, who grew more and more alarmed, and not without reason; for
although he was unable to ascertain how the battle itself might
terminate, he saw too evidently that unless it was shortly brought to an
end, and the crew were able to exert themselves in keeping her afloat,
the ship would go down with all on board still fighting on her decks.
Anxiously he waited. There seemed to be no cessation of firing. Then,
taking Billy in his arms, he exclaimed, "Better be shot than stay and
drown here!" and rushed frantically up the hatchway ladders.

"Down, Sam--down! Is the boy mad?" exclaimed several who saw him.
"You'll be having little Billy hit if you don't take care, Sam."

"No, Sam not mad; but de ship is sinking!" he cried out. "De ship is
sinking, I say!"

These sounds very soon reached the ears of the Captain.

"Then we'll sink with her, my boys!" he exclaimed; "for strike that
glorious flag of ours while I'm alive, I will not. Fight to the last,
my lads, say I; and let us show the boasting Frenchmen what they are to
expect from every ship they attack before they can hope to take her."

The officers and men who stood near echoed the sentiment, and from gun
to gun along the decks it flew, till the whole ship's company broke
forth into one loud enthusiastic cheer.

Probably the Frenchmen heard it; but they continued firing with effect,
till suddenly their helms were put up, and, their rigging being in far
better condition than that of the English, away they stood before the
wind towards the mouth of the Chesapeake; and as the shades of night
were rapidly closing down on the world of waters, they were soon hid
from sight. The English seamen, as they receded into obscurity, looked
at the enemy with hatred and contempt. Forbidden by the Admiral to
follow, and in truth unable to do so, they felt like chained mastiffs
bearded in their kennels by a pack of yelping hounds, who have carried
off their bones and pretty severely handled them at the same time. It
must be confessed, indeed, that although the French could not claim a
victory, they decidedly had the best of it in the fight, their ships
having suffered much less than those of the English.

The Count de Grasse, in the _Ville de Paris_, commanded, and he gained
his object of landing a body of troops to assist the Americans, which
contributed so much to their success over Lord Cornwallis.

Once more the British ships were left alone, the enemy havin