etween one and the other. Both appeared to be suffering
alike, and many a brave seaman was laid low. The _Fame_ had got early
into action, and gallantly taken up her position opposite an opponent
worthy of her. Her brave old Captain walked the quarterdeck, calm as
usual, watching with eagle eye the progress of the engagement, and
waiting for any opportunity to alter to advantage the position of his
ship.

It was just such a fight as Paul Pringle and the crew generally had long
wished for; and fierce and bloody enough it was, too. Of course little
Billy was down below, as secure from harm as his friends could make him.
Few of those present had ever been in a hotter or better contested
fight. The officers, at all events, knew how much depended on the
result--the safety, probably, of all the British possessions in the West
Indies. All the seamen thought of was, how they best could thrash the
Frenchmen; and they knew that all they had to do was to stick to their
guns and blaze away till they were ordered to stop. Towards noon the
wind shifted, and enabled the British fleet to fetch to windward of the
enemy.

"See what that gallant fellow Gardner is about with the _Duke_,"
observed Captain Penrose to the master, who was near him.

Putting the _Duke's_ helm up, he was standing down under all sail in a
bold attempt to break the enemy's line. There was a groan of
disappointment given by all who saw him when his maintopmast fell over
his side, and, unable to keep his position, he dropped to leeward.

Sir George Rodney in the _Formidable_, however, supported by the _Namur_
and _Canada_, was more successful. Keeping up a terrific fire, he
dashed through the French line about three ships off from the _Ville de
Paris_, followed by all those in his rear; then, immediately wearing, he
doubled on the enemy again, pouring in on them his crashing broadsides.
By this bold manoeuvre the French line was broken and thrown into the
utmost confusion: their van bore away and endeavoured to reform to
leeward; but, too hotly pressed by the British ships, there seemed
little probability of their accomplishing this.

Still the Frenchmen, though evidently losing the day, fought with the
most desperate courage and resolution. For a short time, while still
the battle was raging between many ships, the crew of the _Fame_ ceased
firing; for one opponent had sheered off whom they were unable to
follow, and another was approaching. Whether