bless their
hearts, repays us; for no matter where it is, if a man is sick or
wounded, or in distress, they are always ready to help him and nurse him
and pity him--bless them, says I. I don't know what we should do
without them."

The two ladies kept their posts, walking the deck, and every now and
then stopping and eyeing us--taking our distance, I thought. We were
rapidly decreasing it, however, and to me it appeared that the chase had
very little chance of escaping. I must own that I was now doubly
anxious to come up with her. All sorts of romantic ideas came crowding
into my imagination, and I quite forgot that, after all, the petticoats
might belong to the skipper's double-fisted wife and rosy-cheeked,
loud-voiced daughter. Still, whatever they were, I would not for worlds
have run the risk of hurting them.

As time sped away the more eager did I become to solve the problem.
When my eye began to ache with watching the chase, Nol took the glass.
I had had my breakfast brought on deck. I ate my dinner there also. I
was just washing down the cold salt junk and biscuit with a glass of rum
and water, when Grampus exclaimed--

"The petticoats has wapperated, sir--that they has."

I jumped up, overturning my glass of swizzle, and putting the helm to
starboard, sung--

"Fire away, but high, my lads--take care, now."

Grampus had handed me the glass and hurried to a gun. Never was there a
better marksman. His eye coolly glanced along the iron tube. He fired.
The schooner's fore-yard was shot away in the slings, and directly
afterwards her fore-top-mast went tumbling over her bows.

"Hurrah!" shouted Nol, "we've got her now, my lads."

I watched through my glass. The females did not return on deck. I only
hoped that they were not frightened at the mischief we had committed.
The chase was now a complete wreck aloft. Still her ensign was kept
flying at her peak. Just, however, as I was about to yaw once more, it
was hauled down, and she was luffed up into the wind. We were very soon
up with her. Heaving-to just to windward of her, I ordered a boat to be
lowered, and, with Tom Rockets and two other hands, pulled aboard. I
directed Grampus to keep a very sharp watch on the movements of the
schooner, should I go below, for the rebels were up to so many tricks
that it was necessary to be prepared for them.

As I stepped on the deck of the prize, I was met by a man whom I took to
be the master. He was