n which they did not expect. The
crew belonging to the vessel, having had enough amusement for the
evening, and intending to sail the next morning, had thought it right to
come off sooner than the others: it was then about midnight or a little
later, and while some of Jack's men were aloft, for he had six with him,
Jack, to his annoyance, heard a boat coming off from the shore, the men
in her singing a chorus. The galliot was at that time just under
steerage way, her topsail had been loosed and her jib hoisted, but the
former had not been sheeted home, for the three men below could not, in
the dark, find the ropes. The other three men were on the foreyard
loosing the foresail, and Jack was undetermined whether to call them
down immediately or to allow them to loose the sail, and thus get good
way on the vessel, so as to prevent the boat, which was loaded with men,
from overtaking them. The boat was not more than twenty yards from the
galliot, when, not finding her where they left her, they pulled to the
right and lay on their oars. This gave a moment of time, but they very
soon spied her out. "Carambo!" was the exclamation--and the head of the
boat was pulled round.

"Down, my lads, in a moment by the swifters," cried Jack. "Here's a
boat on board of us."

The men were in a few seconds on deck, and the others, who had now
sheeted home the topsails, hastened aft. The vessel soon gathered way,
but before that her way was sufficient, the boat had pulled under the
counter, and the Spaniards, letting their oars swing fore and aft, were
climbing up, their knives in their teeth. A scuffle ensued, and they
were thrown down again, but they renewed their attempt. Our hero,
perceiving a small water or wine cask lashed to the gunwale, cut it
loose with his cutlass, and, with one of the men who was by his side,
pushed it over, and dropped it into the boat. It struck the gunwale,
stove a plank, and the boat began to fill rapidly; in the meantime the
galliot had gained way--the boat could not longer be held on, from its
weight, and dropped astern with the men in it. Those who were half in
and half out were left clinging to the gunwale of the vessel, and as
they climbed up were secured and put down in the cabin. Fortunately, no
fire-arms having been used on either side, the alarm was not given
generally, but the sentry reported fighting on board one of the vessels,
and the people of the guard-boat were collected, and pull