altogether.

"Hurrah!" he cried out at length to Bates, "they intend to come up to
the scratch after all;" and he pointed to the strangers, which had now
formed in two divisions, the two larger frigates in one, the third and
two smaller vessels in another. As they carried together more than
twice as many guns as the _Ruby_, they might have had a fair hope of
gaining the victory. Captain Benbow, on seeing this, steered for the
two frigates. As soon as he came within range of the leading one, he
opened the whole of his starboard broadside on her; then, standing on,
regardless of her shot, which came whizzing on board, he gave the second
frigate a similar dose. Meantime the three vessels of the second
division, standing towards the _Ruby_, commenced firing at her. The
fight now became fast and furious; the pirates, for such there could be
no doubt they were, though they had showed no flags, keeping on the
_Ruby's_ quarters, poured in a galling fire on her. Several of her men
were killed, and others wounded; but her crew, labouring actively at her
guns, ran them in and out, loading and firing with wonderful rapidity,
effecting no small damage on their assailants. At length the pirates
gave signs of having had the worst of it; the two smaller vessels once
more hauled their tacks on board and stood away to the westward, and one
of the frigates soon followed their example.

"Now, lads, we must capture one or two of the remainder," cried Benbow;
and steering for the leading vessel, he poured a well-directed broadside
into her. The second frigate, trying to support her consort, was
severely punished, her deck being strewn with the dead and wounded. She
now set all sail, and stood out of the fight, leaving her consort to her
fate. Still the pirate fought desperately, frequently firing high, in
the hopes of knocking away some of the _Ruby's_ spars and reducing her
to her own condition; but no great damage was done, and the _Ruby_, now
sailing round and round the frigate, reduced her to a complete wreck.
At length a man was seen to spring aft with a white flag, which he waved
above his head, and then threw down on the deck as a token of surrender.
The _Ruby_ standing close to her, Captain Benbow ordered her to
heave-to, and then, doing the same, lowered three boats with armed
crews, sending Roger in command of one, Kemp of another, and Bates of a
third.

"Remember that these pirates are treacherous fellows," he observed