,
and was behaving like the young hero he was. Toby Bluff was busily
employed in bringing up powder, and looking as totally unconcerned about
everything else as if this was the most important work to be done.
Having brought up his tub, he sat himself down on it, determined that
not a spark should get in if he could help it. In like manner the
captain was doing his duty to the best of his power, and so was every
officer and man in the ship. Mr Lukyn, the first-lieutenant, had
chosen me to act as his aide-de-camp, to carry orders that he might have
to send to any part of the ship; in that way I was kept constantly
moving about, and it appeared to me that I escaped many shots which
might otherwise have hit me. Once a shot knocked some hammocks out of
the hammock nettings, and grazed the mainmast just as I had passed it,
and another took off the head of the boatswain's mate, just as he was
raising his hand to signify that he understood an order I had given him.
I consequently walked on till I met the boatswain, and delivered the
order to him that he might see it executed. "This will never do,
Lukyn," I heard the captain say. "We must get alongside her again."
The sails were accordingly trimmed, and we ran right down on the enemy,
pouring into her as we did so a fire of round-shot, grape, and musketry,
but, I must own, getting as much in return, and having our rigging
terribly cut about. The French ship had at the time little way on her,
so we shot ahead; both of us, after exchanging a couple of broadsides,
falling off before the wind. We had now separated considerably. The
hands were sent aloft to knot and splice the rigging, to enable us to
work the ship, which we otherwise could not do. While we were thus
employed, the French frigate hauled up, and, passing our stern
diagonally, raked us, but at too great a distance to do us much damage.
Every officer and man was exerting himself to renew the fight, when once
more the French ship bore up, and showed that she was going again to
pass under our stern.

"Down, with your faces on the deck, all of you, my lads," shouted the
captain, the order being repeated by the other officers. I observed,
however, that both he and Mr Lukyn stood upright. The expected shower
came, the enemy passing within pistol shot. I looked up anxiously to
ascertain if either of my superiors was hurt. There they stood as calm
as before, but Mr Lukyn's hat had been knocked off, and two bullets