ampion_ got into a position by which she might suffer from their
shot. The corvette now stood in to action, running so close to her
large antagonist that their respective yardarms almost touched, most of
the shot from the French frigate's upper deck going harmlessly over her,
though she suffered considerably from those of the main-deck. Her
rigging, however, escaping much damage, she was able to haul her wind
and come about. Notwithstanding the severe punishment she was
receiving, the French frigate gave no signs of surrendering.

"We can tackle her now, I think, by ourselves," observed Captain Olding
to his first lieutenant. The commodore, however, had no intention of
allowing his small consort to do that. His first broadside had cut away
many of the braces of the French ship, and severely wounded her
mainyard. He now, consequently, having come about, was able to range up
on her starboard quarter directly after the _Champion_ had passed on.
Again pouring in his broadside, he shot away the French frigate's
mizen-mast, which came crashing down on deck. Shouts rose from the
decks of the English ships as what had occurred was seen. Both the
English frigates had now to engage the two Frenchmen--one following the
other, they were quickly exchanging broadsides. The _Thisbe_ then
addressed herself especially to the second French frigate, while the
_Druid_ took the third in hand, the commodore ordering the _Champion_ to
continue her attack on the first till he could come to her assistance.

All three of the English ships had by this time lost a number of men,
though they had inflicted still greater damage on the French frigates.
Captain Olding fought the corvette bravely, manoeuvring to keep ahead of
his antagonist. The great object had already been gained, the escape of
the merchant fleet, the topgallantsails of the rearmost vessels of which
had long since disappeared beneath the horizon. Though the _Champion's_
rigging remained uninjured, with the exception of a brace or two cut
through, she had received some severe damages in her hull. Three men
had been killed, and six, including her gunner, wounded.

"We are succeeding better than might have been expected, Tarwig,"
observed Captain Olding. "If we can't make this fellow strike, we can
keep him from running away or joining his consorts. See, there goes the
_Druid's_ mainmast, and there comes her foremast. Blowhard must take
care not to have both the enemy on