low will be down upon us before long, sir," said Needham, "if
we cannot manage to get her out of the way."

Jack, on this, ordered a boat to be lowered; Needham, followed by Tom,
jumped into her, and rapidly pulled for the fireship. The difficulty
was to secure the towrope, while there was no time to be lost if the
brig was to be saved. Many of the shot, intended for the vessels, came
flying over the boat; no one was hit in her, however, and Needham
managed to hook on the towrope to her stern. The crew gave way, and,
aided by the current, just got her clear of the brig, when, the flames
rapidly increasing, Needham saw it was high time to cast off, and get
out of her neighbourhood.

The crew had not given many strokes when up she blew, and the fragments
of her deck and bulwarks came rattling down over them.

For a moment it seemed that all in the boat must be destroyed. Jack,
who had anxiously cast his eyes in that direction, as had also the two
midshipmen of the corvette who were looking on, thought that every one
in the boat must perish. Jack regretted that he had allowed Tom to go
in her; his anxiety, however, was soon relieved when he saw them
emerging from the shower and returning to the brig.

The other fire-vessels passing clear of the squadron, either drove on
shore or went floating harmlessly down the broad stream, till they blew
up and sank.

The battle still continued raging as at first, for the Spaniards fought
their guns with desperation, and no sooner had one set of men been swept
away than they were replaced by others. A body of cavalry was also seen
hovering about in the wood which backed the fort, and when any of the
artillerymen, as some did, could no longer stand it, and took to flight,
they were driven back, and compelled to fight till they were killed or
wounded.

The action had continued with unmitigated fury for a couple of hours,
and there appeared no prospect of its cessation as long as the enemy's
ammunition held out. Although the gunners were continually swept away,
fresh men, as at first, were driven up to take their places. The number
of casualties on board the squadron had greatly increased; two or three
officers and several men had already been killed, and many wounded.
Suddenly a still louder roar than the thunder of the guns was heard.

"Hurrah! there goes their magazine," cried Desmond.

"No! see the schooner guarding the chains has blown up," answered
Gordon, pointing i