and I dealt him a blow
more severe than the first. I then threw down my weapon, and, perceiving
the deep-sea lead-line coiled up on the reel, I cut off sufficient, and
in a short time had bound them both by the hands and feet. They groaned
heavily, and I was afraid that I had killed them; but there was no help
for it.

"They are safe," said I, returning to Bramble.

"I thought I heard you, but I did not look round at the time. Half an
hour more, Tom, and, even with this wind, we shall be safe--and, Tom,
our fortune's made. If they wake below, we must fight hard for it, for
we've a right to salvage, my boy--one-eighth of the whole cargo--that's
worth fighting for. Depend upon it, they'll be stirring soon; so, Tom,
go aft, and drag the trysail here, and put it on the hatchway
grating--its weight will prevent their lifting it up in a hurry. If we
can only hold our own for twenty minutes longer she is ours, and all
right."

As soon as I had stowed the trysail on the hatchway grating, I looked
about to see what else I could put on the skylight, which they might
also attempt to force up. I could find nothing but the coils of rope,
which I piled on; but, while I was so doing, a pistol was fired at me
from below, and the ball passed through the calf of my leg; it was,
however, not a wound to disable me, and I bound it up with my
handkerchief.

"They're all alive now, Tom, so you must keep your eyes open. However,
we're pretty safe--the light vessel is not a mile off. Keep away from
the skylight--you had better stand upon the trysail, Tom--you will help
to keep the hatchway down, for they are working at it."

Another pistol was now fired at Bramble, which missed him.

"Tom, see if there's no bunting aft, and, if so, just throw some over
this part of the skylight, it will blind them, at all events; otherwise
I'm just a capital mark for them."

I ran aft, and gathered some flags, which I brought and laid over the
skylight, so as to intercept their view of Bramble; but while I was so
doing another pistol-shot was fired--it passed me, but hit Bramble,
taking off one of his fingers.

"That's no miss, but we've got through the worst of it, Tom--I don't
think they can see me now--don't put that English ensign on, but hoist
it Union downward. I shall round-to now; there's the men-of-war in the
Medway. Why don't the fools look out, and they will see that they can't
escape?"

"They've only the stern windows to look out of: th