the men at the gun.

"Bravo! let him fire another, then," answered Captain Garland, not
complaining of the irregularity of the proceeding. Not another word
could have been heard, for both the _Ruby_ and the French frigate again
began pounding away at each other.

True Blue, with the encouragement he had received, stepped boldly up to
the gun. The captain was Tom Marline, one of his assistant-guardians,
and he was a favourite with all the rest, so that there was no feeling
of jealousy excited against him.

Again he looked along it. He waited his time till the smoke had cleared
away a little, and then once more he fired. The shot hit--of that both
Marline and Paul Pringle were certain, but what damage was done they
could not determine.

"I pitched it astern, not far from the wheel," observed True Blue
quietly. "Maybe it hit the wheel--maybe not."

Again the firing went on as before, and True Blue modestly returned to
his powder tub. More than once he jumped up, anxious to have another
pull at the lanyard of his gun. Paul, however, did not encourage this;
he wisely considered that he had done enough to establish a reputation,
which more shots would not have increased.

Suddenly Paul struck his hands together with delight. "She is steering
wildly! she is steering wildly!" he cried out. "True Blue, you did
knock her wheel away--you did, boy. See what she's about!"

The French frigate as he spoke paid off right before the wind, and
presented her bows directly at the _Ruby_. In that position she
received a raking broadside; but nothing could stop her--she was utterly
without guidance, and on she came like a battering-ram directly at the
beam of the _Ruby_. Captain Garland, so sudden was the movement, could
accomplish no manoeuvre to avoid the collision. The French ship's
jibboom, as she fell on board the English frigate, passed directly
between her fore and mainmasts, and there she hung, while it pressed so
hard against the already wounded mainmast that there appeared every
prospect of the latter being carried away. Just before, a shot had
struck the boatswain and brought him mortally wounded to the deck.

Paul Pringle knew of his loss. As he looked at the mast, strained to
the utmost, the main and spring stays being also shot away, he thought
to himself, "If the mast goes the Frenchman will break clear, and ten to
one, after all, escape us."

It was a time for decision, not for much consideration.