g like a log in the water, without a flag in sight. Not only
her masts were gone, but her hull was like a sieve. It had more than
thirty cannon-ball holes below the water-line.

There was no need to fire again. Lieutenant Read went off in a boat.

"Have you surrendered?" he asked Captain Dacres, who was looking, with a
very long face, over the rail.

"It would not be prudent to continue the engagement any longer," said
Dacres, in gloomy tones.

"Do you mean that you have struck your flag?"

"Not precisely. But I do not know that it will be worth while to fight
any more."

"If you cannot make up your mind I will go back and we will do something
to help you."

"I don't see that I can keep up the fight," said the dejected British
captain. "I have hardly any men left and my ship is ready to sink."

"What I want to know is," cried Lieutenant Read, "whether you are a
prisoner of war or an enemy. And I must know without further parley."

"If I could fight longer I would," said Captain Dacres. Then with
faltering words he continued, "but-I-must-surrender."

"Then accept from me Captain Hull's compliments. He wishes to know if
you need the aid of a surgeon or surgeon's mate."

"Have you not business enough on your own ship for all your doctors?"
asked Dacres.

"Oh, no!" said Read. "We have only seven men wounded, and their wounds
are all dressed."

Captain Dacres was obliged to enter Read's boat and be rowed to the
_Constitution_. He had been wounded, and could not climb very well, so
Captain Hull helped him to the deck.

"Give me your hand, Dacres," he said, "I know you are hurt."

Captain Dacres offered his sword, but the American captain would not
take it.

"No, no," he said, "I will not take a sword from one who knows so well
how to use it. But I'll trouble you for that hat."

What did he mean by that, you ask? Well, the two captains had met some
time before the war, and Dacres had offered to bet a hat that the
_Guerriere_ would whip the _Constitution_. Hull accepted the bet, and he
had won.

All day and night the boats were kept busy in carrying the prisoners,
well and hurt, to the _Constitution_. When daylight came again it was
reported that the _Guerriere_ was filling with water and ready to sink.

She could not be saved, so she was set on fire. Rapidly the flames
spread until they reached her magazine. Then came a fearful explosion,
and a black cloud of smoke hung over the place where the ship had