ed on.

Dick heard him. "I'll show him that I am no coward," he said to
himself.

Ben also, who was stationed at one of the guns it was Dick's duty to
serve, heard the remark. "`Cowards!' does he call us?" he muttered.
"He and Mr Toady will be the first to show the white feather, I've a
notion."

Shortly afterwards the sounds of two guns were heard. One shot,
glancing along the _Wolf's_ bow, sent the splinters flying off it, while
the other was seen to ricochet over the smooth water. The enemy had
fired her stern chasers. The _Wolf_, without yawing, could not reply.
She stood on, therefore, eager to come up with the chase. The latter
was seen directly afterwards taking in her studdingsails and royals.
The British crew cheered as they saw this. There was no longer any
doubt that the enemy was ready to fight. The order was now given to
take in all the studdingsails. The royals were next handed; the crew,
who had left their quarters for the purpose, immediately hurrying back
to their guns. Both frigates were still rapidly running through the
water. Suddenly the chase put down her helm and luffed up on the
starboard tack, intending to rake the _Wolf_, which was now coming up on
her weather quarter.

"Hard a-starboard!" shouted Captain Moubray, and the _Wolf_ was brought
up on the opposite tack, thus avoiding the raking fire, and receiving
the enemy's shot on the starboard side. "Well done!" cried the captain.
"Now hard a-port!"

The ship once more came up to the wind, and just clearing the French
frigate's starboard quarter, shot up right abreast of her to windward.
Both thus in near proximity, poured their broadsides into each other,
and the battle became hot and furious. The British crew ran their guns
in and out, the frigate's shot dealing death and destruction along the
decks of her antagonist. It was just the position English sailors like
the best. Dick saw several of his shipmates knocked over, and one poor
boy, with whom he had just been talking, fell close to his side. He
knelt down to help him, but not a movement was perceptible. He took his
hand; it fell on the deck. The boy was dead.

Dick's tub was soon exhausted of its contents, and he hurried below to
the magazine to get it refilled. He lost not a moment, but was again at
his station.

"They shan't say I'm skulking," he muttered. "I wonder what Lord
Reginald is doing."

Dick might have seen the young lord, in spite of the shot cr