le to
leeward.

"_A vous, monsieur_!" roared out a French quarter-master on board of the
lugger, in imitation of the compliments which take place previously to
an _assaut d'armes_, at the same time taking off his hat, and bowing to
the cutter.

"Too high, too high, good Mr Searcher," said McElvina, laughing;
"depress your guns to her waterline, my lads, and do not fire until I
order you."

The remainder of the cutter's broadside was now discharged at the
lugger, but the elevation being too great, the shot whizzed over,
without any injury to her crew; the main-halyards were, however, shot
away, and the yard and sail fell thundering down on the deck.

"Be smart, my lads, and bend on again; it's quite long enough. Up with
the sail, and we'll return the compliment."

In less than a minute the tie of the halyards, which had been divided
close to the yard, was hitched round it, and the sail again expanded to
the breeze. "Now my lads, remember, don't throw a shot away--fire when
you're ready."

The broadside of the lugger was poured into the cutter, with what effect
upon the crew could not be ascertained; but the main-boom was cut in
half, and the outer part of it fell over the cutter's quarter, and was
dragged astern by the clew of the sail.

"It's all over with her already," said the first-mate to McElvina; and,
as the cutter payed off before the wind, another broadside from her
well-manned antagonist raked her fore and aft. The cutter hauled down
her jib, eased off her fore-sheet, and succeeded in again bringing her
broadside to bear. The action was now maintained with spirit, but much
to the disadvantage of the cutter, who was not only inferior in force,
but completely disabled, from the loss of her main-boom.

After an exchange of a dozen broadsides, McElvina shot the lugger ahead,
and, tacking under his adversary's bows, raked him a second time. The
commander of the revenue vessel, to avoid a repetition of a similar
disaster, payed his vessel off before the wind, and returned the fire as
they came abreast of each other; but in these manoeuvres, the lugger
obtained the weather-gage. It was, however, a point of little
consequence as matters then stood. In a few more broadsides the cutter
was a complete wreck, and unable to return the fire of her opponent.
Her fore-stay and halyards had been cut away, her fore-sail was down on
deck, and her jib lying overboard, under her bows.

"I think that will do," sai