ndered
harmless, as Captain Leicester soon discovered to his cost; for, as he
was sailing past her to windward, at a distance of about fifty yards, to
his very great surprise, her crew suddenly threw open three ports in her
weather bulwarks, and the next moment three six-pounder shots came
whistling through the _Aurora's_ rigging, cutting a rope or two, but
happily missing the spars and all gear connected with the canvas which
was set. At the same moment Ritson fired his nine-pounder, and struck
the schooner (which was listing over to leeward with the weight of her
wreckage) exactly between wind and water.

Now that the two vessels were so close together, it became apparent that
Captain Leicester had been perfectly correct in his estimate as to the
strength of the schooner's crew; for whilst a strong gang could be seen
hard at work clearing away the wreckage of the spars, a sufficient
number of men were still available to work the broadside guns to
windward, which they did with great animation as long as it was possible
for one of them to be pointed at the _Aurora_.

This was not for long, however, for the barque, holding on her way, wore
round as soon as she was out of musket-shot, and, passing across the
schooner's stern, swept up again to leeward, Ritson all the while
keeping up an animated fire from the long-nine, and evidently doing
tremendous execution among the thickly-clustering men on the schooner's
deck, who, whilst the barque was to leeward, were unable, in consequence
of the wreckage, to return more than a very ineffectual fire.

At length, after an hour of this work, the black flag, which had fallen
with the main-topmast, was exhibited above the bulwarks of the schooner
for a moment, lashed to a boat's oar, and was then dropped again, in
token of surrender.

"That means that they've struck, sir, you may depend on't," exclaimed
Ritson, walking aft as if for further instructions.

"Yes, I have no doubt it does," replied Captain Leicester; "but if they
expect that the fact of their striking will be of any benefit to them,
they are woefully mistaken. We are altogether too short-handed to
attempt to take possession of her as a prize; and as to leaving her
alone, in order that she may repair damages and have the opportunity of
renewing her depredations, it is not to be thought of. She is not
entitled to any of the privileges of an ordinary enemy, nor shall I
extend any such to her. She is simply _a pirat