ned and heroic valor
raised himself on his arm and strove to kill the buccaneer. But the
faithful Carib, who had reserved one charged pistol by his master's
command for such an emergency, shot him dead.

Morgan struggled to his feet and looked at the scene. Some of his men
did not rise with the others, for they had been killed by the falling
splinters and bits of iron. The whole stern of the _Mary Rose_ was gone.
There wasn't a Spaniard left before them. A few figures shrieking vainly
for help, clutching at floating pieces of timber, might be seen
struggling in the sea. The Spanish frigate had a great hole in the port
side of her after-works. She was on fire. The three ships were rocking
as if in a hurricane.

Panic filled the minds of the greater part of the buccaneers at this
tremendous catastrophe. Had Morgan to save himself ruined his own ship?
They were appalled by the terrific expedient of their captain. Wild
cries and imprecations burst forth.

"The ship is sinking!"

"We are lost!"

"Silence!" shouted Morgan, again and again. "The ship is sinking, but
our ship is there. Let those who love life follow me."

He sprang at the burning rail of the Spanish frigate. Black Dog was at
his heels, Ben Hornigold followed hard upon, Teach was on the other
side. From the waist Raveneau and the Brazilian strove to inspire the
men. Old Velsers from the forecastle drove them forward as quickly as he
could. Presently they recovered their courage in some measure, for the
fighting force of the enemy had disappeared. They had lost a ship, but
there were two other ships before them. They swarmed over the rail with
cheers and cries. There was little or no resistance. The men of the
frigate were stunned into helplessness by the explosion, although the
captain of the galleon rallied a few men and fought until they were all
cut down, and the two ships were taken by storm.

They had scarcely gained the deck of the galleon before the remains of
the _Mary Rose_ sank beneath the sea, the wounded upon the decks vainly
crying for succor.

By this time the weather side of the remaining Spanish ship was a mass
of flame and there was imminent danger that the fire would be
communicated to the galleon. Giving his men time for nothing, Morgan set
to work furiously to extricate himself. Axes and hatchets were plied and
all the skill and seamanship of the conquerors brought into play.
Finally they succeeded in getting clear and working away