ng.
Probably they thought the prey so easy of capture that they wished to
tackle them at close quarters. Not a shot was fired as the boats rowed
towards the shore.

"This means an ambush," said Young Glory.

Mr. Tyler thought the same, and he was actively on the alert.

The boats were drawn up on the beach, and the men were so eager to get
to close quarters with the enemy that they dashed at a furious pace
towards the steep and rugged path that led to the batteries.

Young Glory was at their head. Dan was a few paces behind him.

Suddenly, from a wood to the left dashed a body of Spanish soldiers,
over a hundred strong, and at the same time nearly two hundred of the
enemy came rushing down the hill to the right.

"Between two fires!" cried Young Glory.

Round he glanced quickly, and as he did so, he saw not far away a number
of great rocks, forming almost a semi-circle, with the sea in the rear.

"Forward, lads!" he shouted loudly.

The men dashed after him, Mr. Tyler in vain trying to check them.

It looked as if Young Glory was about to charge the great force that was
rushing down the hill, but such was not Young Glory's intention. The
Spaniards speedily discovered what his plan was. Then a mad race took
place to see which party should first arrive at the group of rocks.

"We are safe, sir!" cried Young Glory breathlessly, as he and his
comrades reached the haven.

"Yes, it's a natural fortress. We can hold out against five hundred men.
Let them have it, lads!"

"It's hail Columbia we'll give them!"

Hurrah! Crack! Crack!

The sailors fired furiously now. The Spaniards fell at every shot. But
they did not retreat. Instead of doing so the two forces joined, and
together they came with a mad rush at the rocks, behind which stood the
seamen, awaiting the enemy's attack.

"Don't waste a shot now!" cried Mr. Tyler, and his men waited till the
enemy were quite near.

Then a terrific volley was poured forth. Not less than thirty men fell,
but their comrades came on just the same. Crack! Crack!

Again the seamen fired, and then such of the Spaniards as survived
bounded like deer at the rocks, trying to scale them.

It was a hand to hand fight now, in which the advantage lay almost
entirely with the defenders.

The cutlass and pistol did great work at close quarters.

Not more than ten Spaniards got inside the inclosure, and they never got
out again.

Dan was fighting furiously by Young Glory's side