they threw down
their arms and begged for quarter.

Lights were procured; the prisoners were passed below and secured; and
we then had time to turn our attention to the other craft. Where was
she? During the skirmish I had caught a momentary glimpse of her at
about a cable's length on our port beam through the glancing of the
pistol-flashes on her spars and rigging, but now she was nowhere to be
seen.

"Matthews," said Mr Flinn, "take a blue-light from the launch into the
fore-top and burn it."

In less than a minute the glare of the blue-light illumined the scene
with a ghastly radiance; and there, about a quarter of a mile distant,
was the ship under way, standing to the northward and westward under jib
and spanker, with her topsails just let fall ready for sheeting home.

"Oh, ho! Is it that you're afther thin, me foine fellow?" exclaimed
Flinn, who always dropped into his native brogue under the influence of
excitement. "By the powers but we'll soon sthop that little game.
Fore-top there! That'll do with the blue-light. Jump on the topsail-
yard and cast off the gaskets. Lay out and loose the jib and fore-
topmast-staysail, some of you; and Mr Chester, kindly get this mainsail
set at once, if you please."

"All ready with the topsail, sir," sang out the man aloft.

"Then let fall, and come down, casting loose the foresail as you do so.
Sheet home the topsail, lads; that's well! man the halliards and up with
the yard. Hoist away the jib and staysail; fore-sheets over to
starboard. One hand to the wheel and put it hard-a-port. Cut the
cable, forward there. Round-in upon the starboard braces--ease off your
mainsheet, slack it away and let the boom go well out. Now she has
stern-way upon her. Capital. Now fill your topsail--smartly, lads!--
and haul aft your lee head sheets. Steady your helm. Now she draws
ahead. Hard up with the helm. There she pays off! Square the fore-
yard; gently with your weather-braces--don't round-in upon them too
quickly. Well there; belay!"

All this had passed almost as quickly as the description can be read,
and we were now under way and steering directly after the ship, which
had only succeeded in getting her topsails sheeted home and the fore-
topsail partially hoisted.

"Is that gun ready forward, Mr Vining?" asked Flinn.

"All ready, sir," answered Vining.

"Then burn another blue-light and throw a shot over him."

Up flared once more the ghostly light;