islands
belonging to Portugal.

"While lying there at anchor the _Armstrong_ was attacked by a large
British squadron. That was in flagrant violation of the laws of
neutrality. Commodore Lloyd was the commander of the squadron. At eight
o'clock in the evening he sent four large well-armed launches, each manned
by about forty men, to attack the American vessel.

"The moon shone brightly, and Captain Reid, who had noticed the movements
of the British and suspecting that their design was to attack him, was
getting his vessel under the guns of the castle. Those guns and his own
opened fire at almost the same instant and drove off the launches with
heavy loss."

"That means a great many men killed, grandma?" queried little Elsie.

"Yes, dear, a great many of the British; on our side there was one man
killed, and a lieutenant was wounded. But that was not the end of the
affair. At midnight another attack was made with fourteen launches and
about five hundred men.

"A terrible fight ensued, but at length the British were driven off with a
hundred and twenty killed and one hundred and eighty wounded."

"That was a great many," commented the little girl. "Did they give it up
then, grandma?"

"No; at daybreak one of the British vessels, the _Carnation_, made another
attempt. She began with a heavy fire, but the gunners of the _Armstrong_
fired shots at her so rapidly and so well directed that she was soon so
badly cut up that she hastened to get out of their range.

"In all this fighting the British had lost over three hundred in killed
and wounded, while only two Americans were killed and seven wounded. But
the _Armstrong_ was a good deal damaged and Captain Reid saw that he could
not stand another fight such as she had just gone through, so he directed
her to be scuttled to prevent her from falling into the hands of the
enemy."

"Scuttled? What's that, grandma?" asked little Ned.

"Making holes in the bottom or sides of a vessel, so that the water can
get in and sink her, is called scuttling. It was done to prevent the
British from taking possession of her. After our men had left her,
however, they boarded, and set her on fire."

"Grandma Elsie," said Grace, "I think I remember reading that that victory
of Reid's--or perhaps I should say successful resistance--had much to do
with the saving of New Orleans."

"Yes; that British squadron was on its way to Jamaica, where the British
vessels were gathering for the ex