The crew of the cutter, weakened as they were by the loss of most of
their best men, flew to their arms; Coble, Cornelius, and Jansen, and
Corporal Van Spitter were to be seen in the advance, encouraging them.

"Gott for dam! let us have one slap for it," cried Jansen.

"Mein Gott! yes," shouted the corporal.

Vanslyperken started up--"It's no use, my men--it's madness--useless
sacrifice of life; they are two to one--we must surrender. Go down
below, all of you--do you hear? obey my orders."

"Yes, and report them too, to the admiral," replied Coble; "I never
heard such an order given in my born days, and fifty odd years I have
served in the king's fleet."

"Corporal Van Spitter, I order you below--all of you below," cried
Vanslyperken; "I command here--will you obey, sir?"

"Mein Gott! yes," replied the corporal, walking away, and coolly
descending the ladder.

The boats were now within ten yards of the cutter, and the men stood
irresolute; the corporal obeying orders had disheartened them: some of
them followed the corporal.

"It's no use," said Coble, "I sees now it's of no use; it's only being
cut to pieces for nothing, my men; but I won't leave the deck." Coble
threw away his cutlass, and walked aft; the other men did the same, all
but Jansen, who still hesitated. Coble caught the cutlass out of his
hand, and threw it overboard just as the boats dashed alongside.

"Gott for dam!" muttered Jansen, folding his arms and facing the men who
jumped on the cutter's decks. Ramsay, who was first on board, when he
perceived that the men were standing on the decks without making any
opposition, turned and threw up the points of the swords of some of his
men who were rushing blindly on, and, in a minute all was quiet on the
decks of the Yungfrau. Mr Vanslyperken was not to be seen. At the
near approach of the boats he had hastened into his cabin and locked
himself in; his only feeling being, that Ramsay's wrath must cool, and
his life be spared.

"My lads," said Sir Robert to the crew of the cutter, "I am very glad
that you made no resistance to a force which you could not resist, as I
should have been sorry if one of you had lost his life; but you must now
go down below and leave the cutter's deck in our possession. Perhaps it
would be better if some of you took one of your boats and went on shore
to pick up your messmates who are wounded."

"If you please, sir, we will," said Coble, coming forward, "an