ld thing, Tim, to attack this fortress with only two ships,
when the pirates have lately beaten a Dutch squadron mounting double
the number of guns."

"Ah, yer honor, but then there is the Union Jack floating at the
masthead. Do you think the creeturs don't know the differ?"

"But the Dutchmen are good sailors, and fought well, Tim. I think the
difference is that in the last case they attacked the Dutch, while in
the present we are attacking them. It makes all the difference in the
world, with Indians. Let them attack you, and they'll fight bravely
enough. Go right at them, and they're done for.

"Look, the pirate fleet are already sailing away."

"And do you think the English will take the fort, yer honor?"

"I don't know, Tim. The place is tremendously strong, and built on a
rock. There are guns which bear right down on the ships, if they
venture in close, while theirs will do but little damage to these
solidly built walls. Suwarndrug ought to resist a fleet ten times as
strong as that before us."

"Shure then, yer honor, and will we have to remain here all our lives,
do ye think?"

"No, Tim, I hope not. Besides, I think that we ought to be able to
render some assistance to them."

"And how will we do it, yer honor? You have but to spake the word, and
Tim Kelly is ready to go through fire and water; and so is Hossein. Ye
may be shure of that."

Seeing that the pirates were now mustering round their guns, and that
the ships were ranging up for action, Charlie thought it prudent to
retire. Hitherto no attention had been paid to them, but 'twas
probable enough that, when the pirates' blood became heated by the
fight, they would vent their fury upon their captives. He therefore
advised not only the native officers, but the sailors, to retire to
their casemates; which, as the guns placed in them did not command the
position taken up by the ships, were at presented untenanted by any of
the garrison.

Presently the noise of guns proclaimed that the engagement had begun.
The boom of the cannon of the ships was answered by an incessant fire
from the far more numerous artillery of the fortress, while now and
then a heavy explosion, close at hand, told of the bursting of the
bombs from the mortar vessels, in the fortress.

Charlie had been thinking of the best measures to be taken, to aid his
friends, ever since the squadron came in sight; and, after sitting
quietly for half an hour, he called his officers around h