wn to his station on the main deck.

Within a quarter of an hour they had rounded the head, and stood in to
the harbour mouth, within saker shot of Rivarol's three ships, to which
they now abruptly disclosed themselves.

Where the fort had stood they now beheld a smoking rubbish heap, and the
victorious Frenchman with the lily standard trailing from his mastheads
was sweeping forward to snatch the rich prize whose defences he had
shattered.

Blood scanned the French ships, and chuckled. The Victorieuse and the
Medusa appeared to have taken no more than a few scars; but the third
ship, the Baleine, listing heavily to larboard so as to keep the great
gash in her starboard well above water, was out of account.

"You see!" he cried to van der Kuylen, and without waiting for the
Dutchman's approving grunt, he shouted an order: "Helm, hard-a-port!"

The sight of that great red ship with her gilt beak-head and open
ports swinging broadside on must have given check to Rivarol's soaring
exultation. Yet before he could move to give an order, before he could
well resolve what order to give, a volcano of fire and metal burst
upon him from the buccaneers, and his decks were swept by the murderous
scythe of the broadside. The Arabella held to her course, giving place
to the Elizabeth, which, following closely, executed the same manoeuver.
And then whilst still the Frenchmen were confused, panic-stricken by
an attack that took them so utterly by surprise, the Arabella had gone
about, and was returning in her tracks, presenting now her larboard
guns, and loosing her second broadside in the wake of the first.
Came yet another broadside from the Elizabeth and then the Arabella's
trumpeter sent a call across the water, which Hagthorpe perfectly
understood.

"On, now, Jeremy!" cried Blood. "Straight into them before they recover
their wits. Stand by, there! Prepare to board! Hayton ... the grapnels!
And pass the word to the gunner in the prow to fire as fast as he can
load."

He discarded his feathered hat, and covered himself with a steel
head-piece, which a negro lad brought him. He meant to lead this
boarding-party in person. Briskly he explained himself to his
two guests. "Boarding is our only chance here. We are too heavily
outgunned."

Of this the fullest demonstration followed quickly. The Frenchmen
having recovered their wits at last, both ships swung broadside on, and
concentrating upon the Arabella as the nearer and hea