ning to engage the enemy, and were
confident of whipping her. The committee started bravely to discharge
their commission; but their courage failed them before so mighty a
potentate as the commander, and they whispered their message to the
first lieutenant, who laughed, and sent word forward that Mr. Burrows
only wanted to get sea-room, and would soon give the jackies all the
fighting they desired.

[Illustration: The Fight with the "Boxer."]

The Americans now had leisure to examine, through their
marine-glasses, the vessel which was so boldly following them to the
place of battle. She was a man-of-war brig, flying the British ensign
from both mastheads and at the peak. Her armament consisted of twelve
eighteen-pound carronades and two long sixes, as against the fourteen
eighteen-pound carronades and two long nines of the "Enterprise." The
Englishman carried a crew of sixty-six men, while the quarter-rolls of
the American showed a total of one hundred and two. But in the battle
which followed the British fought with such desperate bravery as to
almost overcome the odds against them.

For some time the two vessels fought shy of each other, manoeuvring
for a windward position. Towards three o'clock in the afternoon, the
Americans gained this advantage, and at once shortened sail, and edged
down toward the enemy. As the ships drew near, a sailor was seen to
climb into the rigging of the Englishman, and nail the colors to the
mast, giving the lads of the "Enterprise" a hint as to the character
of the reception they might expect. As the vessels came within range,
both crews cheered lustily, and continued cheering until within
pistol-shot, when the two broadsides were let fly at almost exactly
the same moment. With the first fire, both commanders fell. Capt.
Blyth of the English vessel was almost cut in two by a round shot as
he stood on his quarter-deck. He died instantly. Lieut. Burrows was
struck by a canister-shot, which inflicted a mortal wound. He refused
to be carried below, and was tenderly laid upon the deck, where he
remained during the remainder of the battle, cheering on his men, and
crying out that the colors of the "Enterprise" should never be struck.
The conflict was sharp, but short. For ten minutes only the answering
broadsides rung out; then the colors of the British ship were hauled
down. She proved to be the sloop-of-war "Boxer," and had suffered
severely from the broadsides of the "Enterprise." Severa