ay before his captain,--his
life. And he showed himself willing to make this last and greatest
sacrifice, by thrusting his head into the path of the descending
scimetar, and taking upon his own skull the blow intended for Decatur.
The hero fell bleeding to the deck; a pistol-shot from an American
ended the career of the Turk, and Decatur was left to struggle with
his adversary upon the deck.

But by this time the great strength of the Turkish captain was
beginning to tell in the death-struggle. His right arm was clasped
like an iron band around the American captain, while with his left
hand he drew from his belt a short _yataghan_, which he was about to
plunge into the throat of his foe. Decatur lay on his side, with his
eyes fixed upon the face of his foe. He saw the look of triumph flash
in the eyes of the Turk; he saw the gleaming steel of the _yataghan_
as it was drawn from its sheath. Mustering all his strength, he
writhed in the grasp of his burly foe. He wrested his left arm clear,
and caught the Turk's wrist just as the fatal blow was falling; then
with his right hand he drew from his pocket a small pistol. Pressing
this tightly against the back of his enemy, he fired. The ball passed
through the body of the Turk, and lodged in Decatur's clothing. A
moment later the Tripolitan's hold relaxed, and he fell back dead;
while Decatur, covered with his own blood and that of his foe, rose to
his feet, and stood amidst the pile of dead and wounded men that had
gathered during the struggle around the battling chiefs.

The fall of their captain disheartened the Tripolitans, and they
speedily threw down their arms. The prize was then towed out of the
line of battle; and, as by this time the American gunboats were
drawing off, Decatur took his prizes into the shelter of the
flag-ship.

While Decatur had been thus engaged, the gunboats under his command
had not been idle. Lieut. Trippe, in command of No. 6, had fought a
hand-to-hand battle that equalled that of Decatur. Trippe's plan of
attack had been the same as that of his leader. Dashing at the enemy,
he had let fly a round of grape and canister, then boarded in the
smoke and confusion. But his boat struck that of the enemy with such
force as to recoil; and Trippe, who had sprung into the enemy's
rigging, found himself left with but nine of his people, to confront
nearly twoscore Tripolitans. The Americans formed in a solid phalanx,
and held their ground bravely. Aga