d; for instance, as to fire-arms--they fire theirs at the
first boat, and they have not time to reload, when the second comes up
with its fire reserved; every fresh boat arriving adds to the courage of
those who have boarded, and to the alarm of those who defend; the men
come on fresh and fresh. Depend upon it, Gascoigne, there is nothing
like a _corps de reserve_."

"Will you keep silence in your boat, Mr Easy, or will you not?" cried
the master; "you're a disgrace to the service, sir."

"Thank ye, sir," replied Jack, in a low tone. "I've another bite, Ned."

Jack and his comrade continued to fish in silence till the day broke.
The mist rolled off the stagnant water, and discovered the brig, who, as
soon as she perceived the boats, threw out the French tricolour and
fired a gun of defiance. Mr Smallsole was undecided; the gun fired was
not a heavy one, and so Mr Jolliffe remarked; the men, as usual,
anxious for the attack, asserted the same, and Mr Smallsole, afraid of
retreating from the enemy, and being afterwards despised by the ship's
company, ordered the boats to weigh their grapnels.

"Stop a moment, my lads," said Jack to his men, "I've got a bite." The
men laughed at Jack's taking it so easy, but he was their pet; and they
did stop for him to pull up his fish, intending to pull up to the other
boats and recover their loss of a few seconds.

"I've hooked him now," said Jack; "you may up with the grapnel while I
up with the fish." But this delay gave the other boats a start of a
dozen strokes of their oars, which was a distance not easy to be
regained.

"They will be aboard before us, sir," said the coxswain.

"Never mind that," replied Jack; "some one must be last."

"But not the boat I am in," replied Gascoigne; "if I could help it."

"I tell you," replied Jack, "we shall be the _corps de reserve_, and
have the honour of turning the scale in our favour."

"Give way, my lads," cried Gascoigne, perceiving the other boats still
kept their distance ahead of them, which was about a cable's length.

"Gascoigne, I command the boat," said Jack, "and I do not wish my men to
board without any breath in their bodies--that's a very unwise plan. A
steady pull, my lads, and not too much exertion."

"By heavens, they'll take the vessel before we get alongside."

"Even if they should, I am right, am I not, Mesty?"

"Yes, Massa Easy, you are right--suppose they take vessel without you,
they no want you--sup