daughter," he
observed, diving rapidly below.

"I am not a belligerent, and if I am wounded I cannot attend to the
spiritual affaire of the dying," said Father Mendez, following his
patron.

"It matters little what becomes of me, since all my worldly possessions
are on board the craft those scoundrels are carrying off," remarked Don
Tacon, as he sulkily walked the deck.

Colonel Armytage kept his post on the deck, eyeing the English ships.

"It would be wiser for you, sir, to go below," said the captain. "We
shall be hotly engaged soon, and there is no reason why you should
expose your life."

"I have never avoided danger in whatever form it has presented itself,"
answered the colonel, haughtily. "I do not feel disposed to show on the
present occasion that I have a faint heart."

"As you like, colonel," said the captain, shrugging his shoulders. "It
is an odd fancy some men have for making targets of their heads."

The shots now came with greater rapidity on board the frigate. Her
sails had several holes in them, and some of her standing as well as of
her running rigging had been cut away. Still, only one of the chasing
ships was near enough to fire, but the other two were coming up fast.
The brave captain looked at his foes, and then at the friendly forts.

"We shall soon escape from them," he observed to his lieutenant. "But
one of these shots may any moment cut short my career. Should I fall,
fight the ship to the last. And, Alfonse, remember--Colonel Armytage
and Father Mendez know all."

The French frigate was drawing in closer and closer to the fort.
Suddenly one of the guns from it sent a shot flying past her towards her
enemy. Several followed. The French garrison had got the range.
Still, the Englishman did not give up the pursuit. A fortunate shot
might enable him to bring the enemy to closer action. At length,
however, a shot from the fort carried away his foretop-gallant-mast,
another might do still further damage; and as it would have been extreme
rashness to continue the pursuit further, he hauled his wind and made
the best of his way out of the range of the guns of the forts, while the
French frigate came to an anchor safe under their shelter near several
line-of-battle ships and frigates.

No sooner had the sails been furled than Captain Tacon came aft, and
begged at once to be taken to the admiral.

"I told you that I was coming to give important information," he said
coolly.