the attempt until after midnight. This was done; and at
the appointed hour the brigantine was once more sailed into a suitable
position with regard to the _Manilla_; the boats were manned, lowered,
and we managed to get away from the brigantine without much difficulty.
She remained hove-to upon the spot where we had left her, and to make
matters as safe as possible for us, capsized overboard the contents of
two of the oil-barrels. This smoothened the sea to such an extent that,
deeply as we were loaded, and heavily as it was blowing, we did not ship
a drop of water. We allowed the boats to drift down to leeward, with
their oil-bags towing astern, and with only two oars out, to keep them
stern-on to the sea; and so accurately had our distance been calculated
that when the _Manilla_ came up abreast of us we only needed to pull a
stroke or two to get comfortably under her lee. We boarded her by way
of the lee channels, fore, main, and mizzen simultaneously; and that,
let me tell you, was the most difficult part of our work, for the ship
rolled so heavily that it was with the utmost difficulty we avoided
staving or swamping the boats. Each man knew, however, exactly what to
do, and did it without the necessity for a word to be spoken; and thus
our desperate adventure--for desperate indeed it was, let me tell you--
was accomplished without mishap. Ah! there goes eight bells; time for
me to turn in, so I will say good-night, _mon cher_ Bowen, and pleasant
dreams to you!"

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THE MANILLA IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

For a full week nothing occurred of sufficient importance to be worthy
of record; our little squadron making good headway before the fair wind
that had come to our assistance; neither the brigantine nor the schooner
ever being more than three or four miles distant from us; while, in
response to daily invitations from Captain Chesney, the skipper of the
Indiaman, Captain Winter frequently came on board to dine and spend the
evening with the cuddy passengers. But on the ninth day after the
recapture of the _Manilla_, the wind dwindled away to a light air, and
then shifted out from the north-east, gradually freshening to a strong
breeze, and breaking us off to an east-south-east course, close-hauled
on the port tack. We stood thus all through the night; and at daybreak
the next morning a large ship was discovered about ten miles to
windward, close-hauled on the starboard tack, dodging along un