d with
two big Frenchmen, who seemed to have singled her out for destruction,
but right nobly and boldly did she bear the brunt of the action. Shot
after shot struck her, many between wind and water, and some in her
masts and spars, which in consequence threatened to go overboard. The
_Terrible_, too, was hotly engaged with an opponent worthy of her. What
her name was could not be discovered.

"Never mind!" was the cry; "we'll soon learn when we make her haul down
her flag!"

Hotter and hotter grew the action. Many were falling on both sides.
Nearly all the English ships had lost both officers and men, killed and
wounded; while, especially, they were dreadfully cut up in their
rigging. Freeborn had come below to serve a gun.

"I see, mate, how it is!" cried Pringle to him. "Those Frenchmen are
fighting to run away. It's strange not one of our fellows on deck have
been hit yet. They've aimed all their shot at our spars."

"Hurrah! lads, then," answered Will in a high state of excitement, which
Pringle could not help remarking. "Fire away, lads. We'll stop them if
we can from running away, at all events."

As he spoke he applied his match to his gun. At the moment it sent
forth its missile of death he tottered back, and before Paul Pringle
could catch him had fallen on the deck. Paul stooped down and raised up
his head.

"It's all over with me, Paul," he said in a low voice; "feel here."

There was a dreadful wound in his side, which made it appear too
probable that his prognostication would prove true. The rest of the men
near turned round with glances of sorrow, for he was a general
favourite; but they had to attend to the working of their guns.

"Paul," he continued, "you and the ship's company will, I know, look
after my motherless child. I leave Billy to the care of you all. Bring
him up as a sailor--a true British tar, mind. There isn't a nobler life
a man can lead. I would not have him anything else. The Captain's very
kind, and will, I know, do his best for him. But I don't want him to be
an officer--that's very well for them that's born to it; but all I'd
have liked to have seen him, if I had lived, is an open-hearted,
open-handed, honest seaman." Poor Will was speaking with great
difficulty. His words came forth low and slowly.

"Yes, yes, Will," answered Paul, pressing his friend's hand. "We'll
look after him. There's not a man of the _Terrible_ who would not look
at little Tru