g, to all
appearance, vanished into thin air. The reports brought from time to
time to Captain Penrose were truly disheartening. With many men killed,
and still greater numbers wounded, and the rest pretty well knocked up
with their exertions, it was difficult work to keep the pumps going, by
which alone the ship could be saved from going down. There was to be no
slumber or rest for any one during all that night; and the Captain and
officers could only feel thankful that a gale did not spring up, or that
the enemy did not come out and have a brush with them.

When morning broke, the signal for the fleet to get more to windward and
to repair damages was flying at the masthead of the flagship. The order
was obeyed, and all the day was spent in plugging shot-holes, and in
bending new sails or mending rent ones, and in reeving fresh running
rigging. Captain Penrose, with an excusable feeling, could not bring
himself to reveal the condition of the old _Terrible_ to the Admiral.

"If we must go down, let us first get alongside the enemy, and then,
yardarm to yardarm, let us both go down together, or carry her by
boarding, and win a new ship for ourselves!" he exclaimed while talking
the matter over with his officers.

The idea was approved of by all of them, and they all expressed a hope
that the opportunity might be allowed them of carrying it into
execution. As was intended, it was repeated to the men, and soon passed
along the decks, all joining heartily in the wish that, they might thus
have the chance of punishing the enemy.

"But what is to be done with little Billy True Blue?" inquired Sam
Smatch. "He can't board with the rest, I guess."

"No, Sam; but we will have a bodyguard for him," observed Peter Ogle.
"When Paul Pringle comes for'ard, we'll ax him what he says to it. When
we board and drive the Frenchmen before us, the bodyguard, with Billy in
the middle, must follow closely after; and then, d'ye see, we shall win
a prize, take care of Billy, and lick the Frenchmen all under one."

When Paul Pringle heard of the plan, he highly approved of it, at the
same time that he put the question, "Who's to take care of Billy, mates,
and form this same bodyguard you speak of?"

Now, of course, everybody would wish to do the fighting part, and to be
among the first on board the enemy's ship. Who would form the
bodyguard? That was a poser. Of course Sam Smatch would be one; but
then by himself he would not be