portunity to escape,
while I must bear my lot as I best can. For myself I have no fears."

"Ada, it is not death I fear; but the thought of losing you almost
unmans me," exclaimed Fleetwood. "And even if I felt, which I do not,
that my life would be safe, were I again in the pirate's power, I could
not yield without fighting, nor would those with me, I am sure. I know
all you feel, my beloved Ada; but were we this moment to cease pulling,
and to allow the pirates to come alongside, it would but hasten our
fate."

Ada saw that further remonstrance would be useless, and relying, as she
justly did, on Captain Fleetwood's discretion and judgment, and feeling
he was acting for the best, she said nothing, but waited in silence and
dread the coming contest. Poor little Marianna, though her fate was
less cruel than that of her mistress, as a short captivity was all she
had to fear, was not the less alarmed, and lay at the bottom of the
boat, giving way to her fears in floods of tears without attempting to
rise.

The first boat approached within three cables' length of that of the
fugitives.

"Now, Raby, fire, and aim steadily," exclaimed Fleetwood.

The midshipman, leaving the helm for an instant, took one of the
muskets: and resting it on the stern of the boat, fired. A loud cry
succeeded the report, and the boat's progress was evidently stopped.

"You have hit one of them," said Fleetwood. "Now, load your piece and
fire again. If you can hit another, it will throw them into further
confusion."

Jack Raby eagerly did as he was desired, and taking his aim in the most
deliberate manner, another pirate was either killed or wounded. The
effect was to make her drop so much astern that the second boat took the
lead of her.

Jack again loaded his piece. He looked up at the star of which he had
been steering, just touching the tiller with his arm, to bring the boat,
which had gone off half a point, back to her proper course; and then
turning round, and half kneeling on the seat, he fired with the same
deliberate coolness as before. The bullet struck the boat, but no one
appeared to be wounded, for on she came faster than ever. He loaded and
fired again, with the same want of effect; a third shot, however, told
on the body of one of the pirates, in the after part of the boat, but
his place was instantly taken by another; though the delay allowed the
boat which had so long led to come almost abreast of her; and they