and everybody
who attempted to oppose them was killed. The governor of the town was
encountered. He was offered quarter, but he would not receive it, and
before any officers could interfere two marines ran the brave old
gentleman through the body, and he died like a true Turk as he was.

When the enemy saw that their chief was dead, and that there was no one
to lead them, they wisely threw down their arms, resolved, like brave
men, to live and fight another day for a more profitable cause.

Jack and his companions pushed on, and having now fewer enemies to
encounter, made still greater progress. The higher part of the town was
reached; with shouts and loud huzzas they scrambled up to the summit of
the walls, and, planting the British banner, Sidon was proclaimed to
have fallen into the power of the allies. Fortunately the commodore and
his followers came upon a thousand men concealed in a vaulted barrack,
who were prepared to rush out and cut them off, but who, instead, were
very glad to lay down their arms, and in the end every one of the
garrison, three thousand in number, was captured. Tyre, that ancient
city, was next captured; so was Caiffa, Tortosa, and other places; and
at last the fleet appeared before Acre, still one of the most important
places on the Syrian coast. Here the midshipmen saw what real fighting
was. Acre presents two sides to the sea, one facing south and the other
west. In consequence of this it was necessary that the fleet should
attack in two divisions. It was a grand sight to see the mighty
line-of-battle ships and the fine steamers, armed with their engines of
destruction, approaching in order the devoted town, and still more when
they began thundering away from a thousand loud-mouthed guns, confusing
the senses with their roars and filling the air with their smoke. Even
Jack felt his spirits awed as hour after hour, without cessation, the
mighty uproar continued, and houses were overthrown and strong stone
walls were seen crumbling away before the reiterated shocks of the iron
shower levelled at them. The enemy, too, were not idle, and shots and
shell came whizzing about the ships, striking down here and there many a
gallant seaman and marine.

"Well, Alick, what do you think of it?" asked Jack, as, in the course of
their duty, the two friends were brought together.

"That we are in earnest in what we are about; though I wish I could feel
the poor fellows we are slaughtering de