ck
making himself as small as possible, so as to have less chance of being
hit. A short way off stood Martin Shobbrok among the sail trimmers.
Just then two of the gunners fell, their heads shot off, and their
brains scattered over the deck. The captain, seeing what had occurred,
shouted to Martin and another man to take their places. Martin stood
with his arms folded, as if he did not hear the order. The captain
again shouted to him.

"I'll do a seaman's duty, but will not fight against those who have
justice and right on their side," answered Martin.

"Mutiny! mutiny!" shouted the captain. "Suffer the fate of a mutineer!"
and, drawing a pistol from his belt he fired.

I expected to see my old friend fall, but the bullet merely grazed one
of his grey whiskers; and, fixing his eye on the captain, he answered--

"The Lord forgive thee, and be thankful thou hast not murdered an old
man who is acting as his conscience bids him."

The captain, unmoved by this rebuke, was about to draw another pistol.

"I must save Martin, even at the hazard of my own life," I exclaimed,
and was about to spring aft to strike up the pistol when the cry arose--

"Another enemy close aboard us!"

Looking round, I saw, looming large through the fog, the wide-spread
canvas of a tall ship coming up on our quarter.

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE ENGAGEMENT.

The fate of honest Martin hung in the balance; should I fail to strike
up the captain's arm, his death would be certain. Whether or no my
action had been observed I could not tell, for the appearance of the
stranger drew the captain's attention off from his victim, and in a
moment he seemed to have forgotten all about Martin.

The approaching ship fired a broadside which raked us fore and aft,
sending many of the roystering crew to their dread account. Still
undaunted, the captain ordered the starboard broadside to be fired in
return, and the _Constant Warwick_, in consequence of the loss of her
headsail, being unable to keep her position, we drew ahead of her; but
our fresh antagonist, with her yards and rigging uninjured, quickly came
up, and her guns, aimed at our masts, ere long brought down the fore and
main-yards; but the flag still flew out at the peak of the corsair, and
her guns on either side continued to belch forth their deadly missiles.

Though round shot and bullets from her antagonists came crashing on
board the ship, tearing up the decks, piercing the sides, carry