plundering some English vessel, and
for what we can tell she may have fallen in with the `Lady Alice.'"

I felt constrained to say this to induce Captain Hake to do as I
proposed, I did not stop to consider the effect it might produce on
Captain Bland.

"Jack may be right," he exclaimed, in an agitated tone. "My good
friend, don't hesitate to follow his suggestion. If we make one tack to
the north-west, and then put about again we shall cross her bows, when
it will be hard if we cannot knock away some of her spars; or perhaps
when her crew see what we are about, they'll lower their sails to save
themselves from worse consequences."

Captain Hake made no reply; but, to my great satisfaction, at once put
the ship about, and soon afterwards ordered the guns to be loaded and
the muskets to be brought on deck. He was a man of deeds rather than of
words. Captain Bland thanked him heartily.

"We must see that we are not making fools of ourselves before you need
do that," he answered, somewhat gruffly.

We stood on for some time, and then again put about. After this we
rapidly approached the schooner, which had lately been drawing ahead of
the corvette. The latter had ceased firing, but was crowding on more
sail. Once more we put about so as to be on the same course as the
schooner. Captain Hake had been narrowly scanning her; as we got her
within range he went to one of the guns, Captain Bland took charge of
another, the mate of a third, and I, no one interfering, prepared to
fire the fourth, all run out at the same side. We were now well to
windward, all our guns pointed high. The captain, ordering the man at
the helm to luff up, fired; the rest of us in succession followed his
example. Our crew gave a hearty cheer, for the schooner's main gaff was
shot away, and the next moment down came her fore-topmast, the square
topsail hanging over the side and the jib trailing in the water. Our
work was done, and we stood on. In a short time the corvette was almost
close alongside the schooner, into which she at once poured her
broadside. I fancied that I could hear the shrieks and groans of the
hapless crew as the shot swept across the deck of the chase, or crashed
into her side, and the sound of the rending and tearing of the stout
planks. The pirates had had the madness to fire at the Government
cruiser when all hope of escape was gone.

We were by this time away to leeward, and on the point of heaving-to,
the