active as ever, handing up the powder required; poor Tom
looked the picture of misery.

"Ain't the enemy going to strike yet, Mr Rayner?" he asked, in a
melancholy tone; "we've been a long time about it, and I thought they
would have given in long ago."

"I hope they soon will have enough of it and give in, and we must blaze
away at them until they do," answered the midshipman, hurrying on.

Just then a shot came crashing in through the side, passing just where
Rayner had been standing, sending the splinters flying about in all
directions. He had not time to look round, but thought he heard a cry
as if some one had been hit, and he hurried on to deliver his message to
the second lieutenant.

On his way back he took a glance to see how it fared with his two
friends. Tom was seated on his tub, but poor Jack lay stretched on
deck. Rayner, hastening to him, lifted him up.

"I'm only hit in the leg," answered Jack to his inquiries. "It hurt me
very much, and I fell, but I'll try to do my duty." How barbarous is
war!

Rayner, however, saw that this was impossible, as the blood was flowing
rapidly from the wounded limb, and calling one of the people appointed
to attend those who were hurt, he ordered him to carry Jack below.
"Tell the surgeons he's badly wounded, and get them to attend to him at
once," he said.

He longed to be able to go himself, but his duty compelled him to return
to the upper deck. Scarcely had he got there than he saw, to his grief,
that the enemy had dropped under the stern, and the next instant,
discharging her broadside, she raked the _Thisbe_ fore and aft. In vain
the latter tried to escape from her critical position; before she could
do so she was a second time raked, the gaff being shot away, the
mizenmast injured, and the remaining rigging cut through and through.
Fortunately, the _Thisbe_ still answered her helm, and the crew were
endeavouring to make sail, when the enemy ranged up on the starboard
quarter, her forecastle being covered with men, evidently intending to
board.

Captain Martin, on seeing this, sent Rayner below with orders to double
shot the after-maindeck guns, and to fire them as the enemy came close
up. The next he shouted the cry which British seamen are always ready
to obey, "Boarders, repel boarders;" and every man not engaged at the
guns hurried aft, cutlass in hand, ready to drive back the foe as soon
as the ships should touch; but ere that moment arrived, a