el,
from every part of which bright flames were fiercely bursting forth. A
few strokes carried him alongside his boat, and, his voice being heard
by his men, he was speedily hauled on hoard.

"Is any one hurt?" was his first question.

"No, sir, only a little scratch or two," was the satisfactory answer.

The part of the deck blown up had fortunately been carried right over
the boat. The explosion had probably been produced by a small quantity
of gunpowder. "Had there been more of it my career would have been cut
short," thought Jack. He heard Adair and Needham inquiring for him.

"All right," he answered. "The rascals intended to play us a scurvy
trick; but they have been disappointed, though we shall lose our prize."

The schooner was now burning fiercely from stem to stern; the flames
wreathing like snakes round her masts, having already reached her spars,
compelled the boats to pull to a distance to avoid the risk of being
crushed by them should they fall.

The instant they got beyond the shelter of the vessel, a volley of
musketry was fired at them from the shore, the flames casting a bright
light around, exposing them to view; the glare, however, at the same
time, showing them their enemies, standing on an open space at the top
of a bank, they apparently forgetting that they could be seen as well as
see.

Jack's boat, which carried a six-pounder in her bow, pulling round, he
fired with good effect into their midst, while the other boats opened
with musketry. Several of the enemy were knocked over, and the rest
scampered off under cover, a few of them firing, however, as soon as
they could reload from behind their shelter.

"There is very little honour or glory to be obtained by stopping to be
peppered by these fellows," observed Adair.

Jack agreed with him, and, giving the order to pull round, he setting
the example, away went the boats down the channel. A few shots whistled
by them as long as they remained within the glare of the blazing vessel.
As she was already so much burnt, that even had the Spaniards succeeded
in putting out the flames she would have been utterly useless, Jack did
not think it worth while to remain to see what became of her. Even
after they had got a considerable way down the passage they could see a
bright glare in the sky, which showed them that she was still burning,
and must inevitably be destroyed.

Adair congratulated his messmate on his escape. "Faith! my dear Ja