Look alive! Now then, up with those
topgallant sails! The quicker you get them up, the quicker we shall
be out of range!"

Another battery, higher up, now opened fire; but the shot did not
come near them. Then rocket after rocket was sent up, and the
battery astern again fired. One of the shot cut away the
main-topsail yard; another struck the deck abreast of the foremast,
and then tore through the bulwarks; but the polacre was now making
good way. They felt the wind more, as they got farther from the
shore; and had decreased their distance from the craft ahead.

The boatswain now joined Bob upon the poop.

"We have got everything set that will draw, now," he said. "She is
walking along well. Another ten minutes and we shall be safe, if
they don't knock away a spar.

"She is a fast craft, Mr. Repton. She is overhauling the other two,
hand over hand."

"We had better bear away a bit, boatswain. The captain said we were
to scatter as much as we could, so as to divide their fire."

"All right, sir!" and the boatswain gave the orders to the
helmsman, and slightly altered the trim of the sails.

"I suppose we can do nothing with that broken yard, boatswain?"

"No, sir; and it don't matter much, going pretty nearly before the
wind, as we are. The sails on the foremast draw all the better, so
it don't make much difference.

"Look out, below!" he shouted, as there was a crash above; and the
mizzenmast was cut in sunder, by a shot that struck it just above
the topsail blocks; and the upper part came toppling down, striking
the bulwark and falling overboard.

"Lay aft, lads, and out knives!" the boatswain shouted. "Cut away
the wreck!

"It is lucky it wasn't two feet lower," he said to Bob, "or it
would have brought the topsail down; and that would have been a
serious loss, now the main-topsail is of no use."

He sprang to assist the men, when a round shot struck him, and
almost carried off his head. Bob caught at the knife that fell from
his hand, and set to work with the men.

"That is it, lads, cut away!" he shouted. "We sha'n't have many
more of them on board. We are a good mile away, now."

Just as the work of getting rid of the wreck was accomplished, one
of the men said, as a rocket burst overhead:

"There are two of their gunboats coming out of the harbour, sir."

"We had better close with the others, then," Bob said. "The brig
will engage them, when they come up. We shall be well beyond reach
of the