principally aloft; and the wails of the hurt, the revolting part of every
serious combat, began to mingle in the roar of the contest. The English, I
observed, fought sullenly, though they fought with all their hearts.
Occasionally, a cheer would arise in some part of the ship; but these, and
the cries of the hurt, were fire on the Briton, as well as the manner in
which the English repaid all they received. While standing near the
main-mast, in the battery that was not engaged, Marble made me out in the
smoke, and came-up to speak to me.

"Them Frenchmen are playing their parts like men," he said. "There's a
shot just gone through the cook's coppers, and another through the boats.
By the Lord Harry, if the boys on this deck do not bestir themselves, we
shall get licked. I wouldn't be licked by a Frenchman on any account,
Miles.--Even little Kitty would point her finger at me."

"We are only passengers, you know, Moses; and can have little concern with
victory, or defeat, so long as the striped and starred bunting has nothing
to do with the credit of the thing."

"I am not so sure of that, Miles.--I do not like being flogged, even as a
passenger. There! just look at that, now! Two or three more such raps, and
half our guns will be silenced!"

Two shot had come in together, as Marble thus interrupted himself; one of
them knocking away the side of a port, while the other laid four men of
its gun on the deck. This gun was on the point of being discharged, as the
injury was inflicted; but the loss of its captain prevented it from being
fired. The lieutenant of the division caught the match from the fallen
seaman, gave it a puff with his breath, and applied it to the priming. As
the gun came leaping in, the lieutenant turned his head to see where he
could best find men to supply the place of those who had been killed, or
wounded. His eyes fell on us. He asked no questions; but merely looked in
our direction.

"Ay, ay, sir," said Marble, stripping off his jacket, and taking the
tobacco from his mouth. "In one moment.--Just hold on, till I'm ready."

I scarce knew whether to remonstrate, or not: but hard at it he went; and,
delighted by his zeal, the officer clapped him on the back, leaving him to
act as captain of the gun. Afraid the contagion might extend to myself, I
turned, ascended the ladder, and was immediately on the quarter-deck
again. Here I found old Captain Rowley, with his hat off, cheering his
men,--the Frenc