time, though very weak and
feeble from the pain of his wound, I intrusted the clearing away and
lowering of the boats to him, while I went below to advise the women of
our plans, and to tell them to get together such matters as they might
need in this emergency. I found them in a most pitiable state, having
been sent below at the first sign of the approaching battle, and left
by themselves for all this long time with no light but that of a
lantern slung from the deck above, hearing the uproar of the fight and
the groans of the wounded without once knowing whether matters were
going for us or against us.

The two ladies sat, or rather crouched, upon a chest or box, holding one
another by the hand. Mistress Ann lay huddled in a corner in a most
extreme state of terror and distraction.

I may even yet see in my mind's eye how Mistress Pamela appeared when I
clambered down the ladder: her face was as white as marble, and her eyes
gazed out from the shadow of her brows with a most intense and burning
glance. My heart bled for the poor creatures when I thought how much
they must have suffered since they were sent to this dreadful place.

So soon as they saw me they fell to screaming, and clung to one another.
Nor did I wonder at their distraction when I beheld myself a few
minutes later in the glass in my cabin, for my face and hands were
blackened with the smoke of the powder, my shirt and waistcoat were
stained with the blood which had poured out from the wound in my head,
and around my brow was bound a bloody napkin which I had hastily wrapped
about my head so soon as I had recovered from the first effects of my
wound. But just then I knew not how I looked, nor reckoned anything of
it, for in a fight such as we had passed through one has little time to
think of such matters.

"Ladies," said I, speaking as gently as I could, "be not afraid; it is
I, Captain Mackra."

At this Mrs. Evans burst into a great passion of weeping, with her face
buried in her hands, while Mistress Pamela still regarded me, though
with a fixed and stony stare.

"Oh God!" she cried; "and are you hurt?" And she pointed with her
outstretched finger to my head.

[Illustration: SO SOON AS THEY SAW ME THEY FELL TO SCREAMING, AND CLUNG
TO ONE ANOTHER.]

"Why, no," says I, making shift to force a laugh in spite of the anxiety
with which I was consumed; "it is a mere scratch, and nothing to speak
of. There is no time now to talk of such little mat