cipating this, and
resolving, whatever might happen, to fight her to the last, I had made the
mate, a staunch-hearted, resolute fellow, to make fast the signal sailyard
aloft, so that it was impossible for any one on deck to lower the bunting.
Bang! went another gun; and before the smoke cleared away, a third, which,
truer in its aim than the rest, went clean through the lower part of our
mainsail.

"'Steady, then, boys, and clear for action,' said the mate.

'She's a French smuggling craft that will sheer off when we show fight, so
that we must not fire a shot till she comes alongside.'

"'And harkee, lads,' said I, taking up the tone of encouragement he spoke
with, 'if we take her, I promise to claim nothing of the prize. Whatever we
capture you shall divide among yourselves.'

"'It's very easy to divide what we never had,' said one; 'Nearly as easy as
to give it,' cried another; 'I'll never light match or draw cutlass in the
cause,' said a third.

"'Surrender!' 'Strike the flag!' 'Down with the colors!' roared several
voices together.

"By this time the Frenchman was close up, and ranging his long gun to
sweep our decks; his crew were quite perceptible,--about twenty bronzed,
stout-looking follows, stripped to the waist, and carrying pistols in broad
flat belts slung over the shoulder.

"'Come, my lads,' said I, raising my voice, as I drew a pistol from my side
and cocked it, 'our time is short now; I may as well tell you that the
first shot that strikes us amidship blows up the whole craft and every man
on board. We are nothing less than a fireship, destined for Brest harbor
to blow up the French fleet. If you are willing to make an effort for your
lives, follow me!'

"The men looked aghast. Whatever recklessness crime and drunkenness had
given them, the awful feeling of inevitable death at once repelled.
Short as was the time for reflection, they felt that there were many
circumstances to encourage the assertion,--the nature of the vessel, her
riotous, disorderly crew, the secret nature of the service, all confirmed
it,--and they answered with a shout of despairing vengeance, 'We'll board
her; lead us on!' As the cry rose up, the long swivel from the chase rang
sharply in our ears, and a tremendous discharge of grape flew through our
rigging. None of our men, however, fell; and animated now with the desire
for battle, they sprang to the binnacle, and seized their arms.

"In an instant the whole deck becam