e main-topsail brailed up so as to take the strain off
the yard. The two stern guns were in the mean time kept actively
employed.

The pirate gained more and more on the chase.

"We shall have to fight it out, yardarm to yardarm, if the pirates so
choose, or maybe they think fit to board us," muttered the first mate.
"They have the game in their own hands, and if we cannot manage to beat
them back, they'll be masters of the _Research_ before long."

He spoke too low for the rest of the crew to hear him, but his words
reached Captain O'Brien's ears.

"Cheer up, Mr Rymer; never say die while there's a chance of life," he
observed. "Though we may not like the look of things, it's better not
to let the men know what we think, or our good captain either. He must
be sorely troubled with the thoughts of the fearful position in which
his young daughter will be placed, should the pirates overcome us."

"Overcome us!" exclaimed the mate. "I'd sooner blow the ship up with
all hands, if it comes to that."

"No, no, my friend; don't attempt so mad and wicked a deed," said the
old captain. "In doing that, we should be imitating the rascally
buccaneers themselves. We are bound to leave our lives in God's hands,
and He'll order things as He sees best. All we have to do is to fight
to the last, and to try and save the ship from the pirate's hands."

"I hope we may succeed, sir," said the mate, his spirits animated by the
old captain's remarks. "I, for one, will do nothing desperate, and I'll
tell the gunner and boatswain what you say."

The pirate continued creeping up on her expected prey, firing her guns
as they could be brought to bear; while the crew of the _Research_, firm
to their promise, returned shot for shot, some aiming at their
antagonist's rigging, others at the hull--though two more of their
number were killed, and three or four wounded. The latter, however,
having stanched the blood flowing from their limbs, returned to their
guns, and continued fighting them with all the energy of despair.

They could not fail to see that they were suffering more than their
opponent. The pirate ship was already on the starboard quarter of the
_Research_, and in a short time would be on her beam, and thus prevent
her from rounding the southern end of the reef, which it was calculated
she had already reached.

The gloom of night had settled down on the world of waters, but it was
lighted up by the rapid flashes of the