cats Adair tells a story about,
who fought so desperately that at the end of the battle only their tails
were to be found," said Jack; "they having, in a way none but Irish cats
could have succeeded in doing, eaten each other up. Paddy sticks to his
story, and declares it is a truth, but does not exactly explain how it
happened."

Rogers' remarks were cut short by one or two shots striking their junk,
on which the crew set up the most terrific shouting, and began blazing
away from all their guns, jingalls, and other firearms. Jack and Alick,
and Captain Willock and his mate, loaded their muskets and began to fire
away, and to make as much noise as the Chinese, but they none of them at
first took much pains to aim at the other pirates, their object being to
make their companions suppose that they were fighting desperately.
However, before long a jingall ball grazed Jack's shoulder, and that put
up his blood.

"I say, it won't do, we must drive these villains off," he exclaimed;
"if we don't, we shall be getting the ladies' throats cut, and our own
too."

"I am afraid so," answered Alick; "it isn't pleasant fighting either
way." So they now loaded faster than ever, and took the best aim they
could. All the firing and shouting did not stop the advance of the
enemy, and jingall balls and other missiles came flying thicker and
thicker round their heads.

"Those poor ladies! What will become of them? They must be very much
frightened," cried Jack. A considerable number of the crew were by this
time hit; many were killed outright, and as far as the midshipmen could
judge, their side was getting the worst of it. Still the shrieks and
cries in no way diminished, but rather grew louder and more unearthly.
One large junk appeared to have singled them out, and was steadily
approaching to board. Their crew evidently did not like this state of
things. The old captain had just come up to them, with Jos the Malay as
interpreter, to make some proposal or other to them, when, as the words
were coming out of his mouth, a round shot took his head off, and his
body was sent flying half across the deck. What he was saying Jos could
not tell, and gravely remarked that no one was now likely to discover.
The crew, on discovering that their chief was killed, and that they had
lost so many of their companions, showed signs of unwillingness to
fight. At last one ran to the side, and overboard he jumped, and began
to swim towards t