guns.

"If we could but knock away her foremast, we should still have time to
luff round ahead of her," cried Captain Tracy. "Aim at that, my lads;
if you do it, you will save the ship."

Twice the starboard broadside was fired, but the pirate's masts and
spars still appeared to be uninjured.

The crew of the _Research_ were about again to fire her guns, when the
pirate, putting up her helm, ran her alongside.

"Boarders, be prepared to repel boarders!" shouted Captain O'Brien,
sticking a brace of pistols in his belt, and seizing a cutlass and pike.
"We must drive them back, my lads, if they attempt to get on our deck."

The mate and other officers followed his example, and the crew armed
themselves with the weapons to which they were most accustomed. The
next instant the pirates were seen swarming in their own rigging, led by
one of their officers--a bearded, dark man, who was encouraging them by
his shouts and gestures. The first mate sprang forward to encounter
him, and the next moment was brought to the deck by a blow from his
cutlass. In vain the two old captains endeavoured to prevent the
ruffians from setting foot on the deck of the _Research_; on they came,
far outnumbering her crew.

The pirate captain had cut down the gunner and boatswain, and the rest
of the diminished crew found themselves opposed to four times their own
number. They well knew beforehand that it would be useless to ask for
quarter, and to the few who cried out for it, none was given. The
remainder, though fighting desperately, were quickly overpowered. The
two old captains had wonderfully escaped being wounded; standing
shoulder to shoulder, they were driven back to the companion-hatch, when
the pirate captain made his way close in front of them.

"Yield, old men!" he shouted.

"Not while we have cutlasses in our hands," answered Captain O'Brien,
warding off a blow made at his friend, who was wielding his own weapon
with all the vigour of youth.

Just then the pirate captain exclaimed, "Yield, Captain Tracy, yield!
all further resistance is useless. Your present ship is ours, as is
your former craft. If you will drop your weapons, I will save your life
and that of your companion. It is mad of you to hold out longer."

"He speaks the truth," said Captain O'Brien. "Tracy, we have lost the
day. For the sake of your child, listen to his offers. He can but kill
us at last, and we may if we live be able to protect her."