obtain; and
seeing that she could not do so, she stood boldly towards her
antagonist.

Captain Tredeagle told Walter and Nub to carry Alice down below, to
remain in the lower hold, the safest part of the ship. She was very
unwilling to go, and begged that she might stay on deck to share the
danger to which he might be exposed.

"It is impossible," he answered. "I should have my thoughts fixed on
you instead of on the enemy; and should you be wounded, I should never
forgive myself."

"Come, Miss Alice. Enemy soon begin to fire, and time you out of harm's
way," said Nub, taking her hand to lead her below.

"May I return, father?" asked Walter. "I cannot bear the idea of hiding
away while there is fighting going forward."

Captain Tredeagle hesitated. "I must not place my son out of the way of
dangers to which the rest of the crew are exposed. They will look down
upon him if I did."

"You may return," he answered.

"Thank you, father, thank you," said Walter, springing after his sister
and Nub.

He soon came back. "Alice is now all right," he said. "Nub has been
telling her that we probably shall not have much fighting, as the battle
will soon be over, and we shall no doubt take the enemy."

The brig was soon within range of the whaler's guns, and showed her
readiness for the fight by firing the first shot, which came crashing
through the bulwarks, and striking one man to the deck.

"Give it to them, my lads!" cried Captain Tredeagle; and the whaler's
broadside was fired at her opponent with an effect scarcely expected--
one of the shot going right through the brig's foretopmast, sending it
with all its sail and rigging overboard. The English crew cheered
lustily. Captain Tredeagle ordered the helm to be put down, intending
to shoot ahead of the brig and rake her; but before he could do so, she
fired her broadside, which came sweeping across the deck, killing two
men and wounding three others. It was her last effort, however; for the
whaler, passing ahead of her, poured in her broadside in return, rending
her mainmast, and killing several of her crew. Finding that all
resistance was useless, the French colours were hauled down.

Walter's first impulse was to rush below to Alice. "Good news! good
news!" he exclaimed; "we have taken a prize! Hurrah! hurrah! You may
come up into the cabin; but you had better not go on deck, for there are
sights there you would not wish to see."

Walter was righ