he gallant defence made by those around him,
found himself brought on his knee to the deck.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

ABOARD THE PRIZE.

Don Diogo and his companions did not know what Englishmen were made of
if they thought that they were going to win the day without a hard fight
for it. Adair, wounded as he was, threw himself before Jack, and, aided
by Needham and some of his best men, pistoled some of the Spaniards and
cut down others, hurrahing so loudly, and charging so fiercely, that the
rest, in spite of the little Don's exhortations, gave way before them.
They pushed on till they reached the mainmast, where a resolute stand
was made by the slaver's crew. During this time Jack recovered
sufficiently again to join in the conflict. The little Don, seeing how
things were going, rallied a number of his people around him, evidently
prepared to make a stand to the last, and Jack, from what he had
observed of his character, was fully convinced that he would make some
desperate attempt to destroy them, even perhaps by blowing up the
schooner and all on board.

Fortunately the hatches of the schooner's decks were open to give air to
the unfortunate slaves confined below. They all the time were uttering
the most fearful shrieks and cries, not knowing what was going to
happen. Pressed backwards, several of the pirate's crew were tumbled
down the hatchways among the negroes, adding to the confusion and dismay
below. Others, pressed by Jack, who was fighting his way forward on the
starboard side, leaped overboard, and, to avoid the cold steel of the
avenging British, found that death from the ravenous sharks to which
they had consigned so many of their black fellow-creatures. Although
some gave way, others kept rallying round the mainmast, and so Adair had
to keep them engaged to prevent them turning and attacking Jack in the
rear. So hotly was he engaged, however, that he had no time to look
about him. A loud shout made him turn his eyes for a moment forward,
and then he saw Jack, who had gained the forecastle, waving his cutlass
in triumph. The Spaniards, who had hitherto shown a bold front, on
hearing the shout, and seeing that their chance of victory was gone,
threw themselves pell-mell down the hatchways among their companions,
who had by this time regained their legs. What was bad, they had also
kept possession of their arms, and began to fire upon the English. The
seamen could easily have shot them, but t