nd stern, with her ports open, and
the light from her fighting-lanterns streaming through them. The crew,
awakened by the firing, had hurried to their quarters, and were now
rapidly discharging their guns, sending their shot right and left,
though happily, it seemed, without any definite aim. A shot passed
close over the captain's head; so close that Paul expected for a moment
to see him fall, but he did not even notice the circumstance, and only
urged his men to pull up alongside the enemy. The pinnace was crossing
the frigate's bows. Suddenly her way was checked.

"She's aground, sir," cried the coxswain. "A rope has caught our
rudder--unship it, man," answered the captain, who was as cool as if
about to go on board his own ship.

In another instant the pinnace had hooked on to the Spaniard's bows; and
her crew, led by their brave captain, were climbing up to gain a footing
on their forecastle. Paul's heart beat quick--not with fear, but with
the belief that the moment for distinguishing himself had arrived. He
resolved to follow the captain closely. Captain Walford had hold of the
anchor which hung at the bows, when his foot slipped, and he would have
fallen back, had he not caught at the lanyard and hauled himself up.
The delay, though brief, enabled some of the men to be up before him.
Paul was among the number; and, finding a rope, he hove it to the
captain, which enabled him to gain the deck. Not an enemy was found;
but, looking down on the main-deck, the English discovered the Spaniards
at their quarters, not dreaming, it seemed, that the foe already stood
on the deck of their ship. There they stood, some loading, others
firing; fierce-looking fellows enough as the light of the lanterns fell
on their countenances. The foresail had been left laid across the deck
ready for bending, and the thick folds of the canvass served as a screen
to the first of the gallant hoarders while the rest were climbing up.
Not a moment was to be lost, and before the Spaniards had discovered
that the English were on board, a party of the latter, led by their
brave captain, were literally in the midst of them, fighting their way
towards the quarter-deck, where it had been arranged that all the
parties should rendezvous.

The Spaniards, taken by surprise, were cut down or leaped to the right
hand or to the left to escape the cutlasses of the boarders. At length,
however, some of the Spaniards rallied; and, led by one of th