"The pirate, after all, will get the wind before we
do."

"It cannot be helped. We must do our best, and trust in Providence,"
answered Captain Tracy. "Our men will prove staunch, and though the
villains outnumber them, and their metal is heavier than ours, we may
still beat them off."

In less than a minute the sails of the pirate were seen to blowout, and
she began slowly to glide through the water. Those of the _Research_
gave a few loud flaps against the masts, and then hung down again, then
swelled slightly to the breeze; but before she had gathered way, the
pirate had gained considerably on her.

"We must try to stop her progress," exclaimed Captain O'Brien. "A gold
doubloon to the man who first knocks away a spar; and if I succeed
myself, I'll keep it in my pocket."

The old captain fired one of the stern guns as he spoke, but the shot
did no harm to their pursuer. The first mate and the most experienced
gunners among the crew tried their hands with no better success. The
speed of the _Research_ was increasing, but the pirate, having now got a
steady breeze, came on faster than she was going through the water.

"If we can maintain our present distance, we may still escape the enemy
during the night," observed Captain Tracy.

The sun was setting on the starboard hand, casting a ruddy glow on the
sails of the two ships.

"Would that we could knock away a few of her spars, though," said
Captain O'Brien; "it would make the matter more certain."

"It is to be hoped that she'll not knock away some of ours," remarked
the first mate, as he observed the pirate yawing.

By doing so she brought her starboard broadside to bear on the
_Research_, and every gun from it was fired at once. Although no one on
deck was hurt, it wrought sad havoc in the rigging: braces and shrouds
were shot away, the main-topsail yard was cut almost in two, the
foreyard was severely damaged, and two or three of the lighter spars
were knocked away. The old captains gazed up at the injuries which had
thus suddenly been produced. To repair them seemed almost hopeless.

"I feared it would be so," muttered the first mate. "These fellows have
some good gunners among them, as we shall find too soon to our cost."

Still neither of the sturdy old captains were inclined to despair.
Hands were sent aloft to fish the foreyard, and to knot and splice the
most important parts of the running rigging. The main-topgallantsail
was let fly, th