ing down to the magazine for more when his
tub was empty. He discovered that, small as he was, he was taking a
very active part in the battle, and doing considerably more than the
midshipmen, who had to stand still, or only occasionally to run about
with orders. This gave him infinite satisfaction.

"After all, I am doing as much as he is," he thought, looking towards
Devereux.

The firing became very rapid, and the enemy were close to the frigate;
for not only round-shot flew on board, but the rattle of musketry was
heard, and bullets came pattering through the ports. Such a game could
not be played without loss. Fore and aft the men were struck down,--
some never to rise again; cut in two, or with their heads knocked off.
Others were carried below; and others, binding up their wounds, returned
eagerly to their guns. Now there was a cessation of firing. The smoke
cleared off. There stood Devereux, unharmed, and as cool as at the
commencement of the action, though smoke-begrimed as the rest of the
crew; but as Paul glanced round and saw the gleam of the lanterns on the
blood-stained decks, and the pale faces of the dead, and the bandaged
heads and limbs of the wounded, he again turned sick, and wished, as
many a person has wished before, that there was no such thing as
fighting and slaughtering one's fellow-creatures.

It was supposed that the enemy had hauled off to repair damages. The
crew of the _Cerberus_ were accordingly called away from their guns to
repair those she had received, as far as could be done in the darkness.
Not much time was allowed them. Again their enemies returned to the
attack. Each ship was pronounced to be equal in size to the _Cerberus_,
if not larger than it. She had already suffered severely; the men were
again ordered to their quarters. The suspense before the firing should
recommence was trying,--the very silence itself was awful. This time it
was broken by the enemy, but their fire was speedily returned by a
broadside from the _Cerberus_. Now, as rapidly as the guns on both
sides could be loaded, they were run out and fired, for the British had
an enemy on either beam, and each man knew that he must exert himself to
the utmost to gain the victory. When did English sailors ever fail to
do that? There could be no doubt, however, that the _Cerberus_ was hard
pressed.

Dreadful was the scene of havoc and carnage; the thunder of the guns;
the rattle of the musketry; the cra