to stand on this tack until the frigate was nearly
abreast of them, when they hove about at the same moment, and
simultaneously hoisted their colours. The frigate probably hoisted her
colours in reply to this challenge, but, if so, we could not see what
they were, her own canvas intervening to hide the flag from us; but she
fired her whole broadside a few seconds later, and we saw the shot
spouting up the water as they flew toward the two craft which dared to
dispute the passage of the sea with her. They appeared to fall short;
at all events no perceptible damage was done to either vessel; but a
moment later the schooner fired, and the sound of the report told me
that it was her long eighteen-pounder that was speaking. The shot
struck the water about sixty or seventy fathoms from the frigate,
ricochetted, and appeared to pass over her, for presently we saw the
water spout up again well to starboard of the vessel. This was enough
for the saucy little _Dolphin_; she was beyond the range of the
frigate's guns, but could reach her antagonist with her own Long Tom.
She therefore immediately bore up, set her square-sail and studding-
sails, and, maintaining her distance, steered a parallel course to that
of the frigate, while the brigantine stood on, with the now evident
intention of taking up a raking position athwart the frigate's stern.

The _Dolphin_ now opened a rapid fire upon the frigate with her long
gun, and every shot showed that the latter was well within range. The
frigate replied from time to time with single guns, but Comben was too
wary to approach near enough to be hit, and so the fight went on for
some time, with no apparent damage to either combatant. Meanwhile, the
brigantine had, as I had anticipated, placed herself athwart the
frigate's stern, well within range, and now traversed the Frenchman's
wake, sailing to-and-fro athwart his stern, pouring in a whole raking
broadside every time she crossed it, and receiving but two guns in
reply. All this, of course, was exceedingly pretty and interesting as
an exhibition of Captain Winter's skill and acumen in fighting an enemy
of superior force; but thus far the firing had been comparatively
ineffective, a few holes here and there in the Frenchman's sails being
the only visible result of the expenditure of a considerable quantity of
gunpowder, while he had neared us to within four miles, and was
overhauling us so rapidly that another hour, at most, would s