f all sorts, came rattling among them,
accompanied by a volley of musketry. One or two of the seamen and one
of the marines were hit, but the boat pulled on as fast as before.

"Marines, give it the scoundrels," cried Mr Evans. The red-jackets,
turning round, deliberately picked off several of the people who had
fired at them. They had scarcely time to load again before the boat was
alongside the schooner, and the seamen, cutlass in hand, began to
scramble up on her decks. Pikes were poked out at them, pistols were
flashed in their faces, and cold shot hove into their boat, but fiercely
as the pirates fought, they could not prevent the British seamen from
gaining the deck of their vessel. Desperate was the struggle which took
place there. Both parties fought for their lives. The English knew
that they should receive no quarter. The pirates did not expect it
either. Jack was soon knocked down, but he got up again with a somewhat
ugly gash on his arm, and went at it as hard as ever. At length Mr
Evans and his men gained the afterpart of the vessel, and were thus able
to command her movements, but the pirates still clustered thickly in the
bows, and were evidently preparing to make a rush aft. The English had
left their boat, which was alongside, with her painter made fast to the
fore-chains. This was an oversight. The pirates perceived it, hauled
her ahead, and instead of attempting to regain their vessel, the greater
number, jumping into her, made off, leaving four or five of their
companions in the hands of the British. These few threw down their arms
and sang out for quarter. This was granted them, little as they
deserved it. Meantime the rest of the pirates pulled away for the
shore, and were soon concealed from view behind a wooded point.

"See the cable ranged, to bring up, Mr Rogers," was the first order
given by the lieutenant.

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Jack, but he found that he could not obey the
order, as there were neither cables nor anchors on board. It was
therefore necessary to keep the vessel under weigh, and to endeavour to
beat down the river. Had the English known the channel, this might have
been a more easy task than it was likely to prove. They were obliged to
make very short tacks for fear of getting on shore, and in whatever
reach they were the wind always seemed to head them, so that their
progress, notwithstanding the strong current in their favour, was but
slow. Their victor