ch your debtor, captain, but I cannot do that."

"And these young men?"

"They are not Englishmen, and your kindness to them entitles you to
claim their assistance. I am sorry that honor and duty prevent me
giving you mine."

"No matter, captain," said Fritz, "my brother and myself will do duty
for three."

"Then, Pilot, you had better go below."

"With your permission, captain, I would rather stay and look on."

"But what is the use of exposing yourself here?"

"It is an idea of mine, captain. But I shall remain perfectly neutral
during the engagement."

"As you like then, Pilot, as you like," said the captain, as he
resumed his place on the quarter-deck.

At this moment a cannon ball whistled through the air.

"Good," said Willis; "the commodore gives the signal."

"That shot," observed Jack, "passed at no great distance from your
head, Willis. You had better take a musket in self-defence. Besides,
that ship is English, and you are a Scotchman."

"The ship is a Spaniard by birth," replied Willis, "and it is pretty
well time it was converted into firewood, for the matter of that. But
it is the flag, my boy--_that_ is neither Spanish nor English."

"What is it, then?" inquired Fritz.

"It is the union-jack, Master Fritz. It is the ensign of Scotland,
England, and Ireland united under one bonnet; and as such, it is as
sacred in my eyes as if it bore the cross of St. Andrew."

Musket balls were now rattling pretty freely amongst the shrouds. The
young men levelled their muskets and fired.

Soon after, the two ships were abreast of each other, and almost at
the same instant both discharged a deadly broadside. The conflict
became general. The crashing of the woodwork and the roaring of the
guns was deafening. A thick smoke enveloped the two vessels, so that
nothing could be seen of the one from the other; still the firing and
crashing went on. The sails were torn to shreds, the deck was
encumbered with fragments of timber; men were now and then falling,
either killed or wounded, and a fatigue party was constantly engaged
in removing the bodies. There are people who consider such a spectacle
magnificent; but that is only because they have never witnessed its
horrors.

Already many immortal souls had returned to their Maker; many sons had
become orphans, and many wives had been deprived of their husbands;
but as yet there was nothing to indicate on which side victory was to
be declared. Soon, however, a