gazed at the
confused conflict raging on the vessel's deck, and heard the shouts and
cries of the combatants. Yet I felt an inward recoil against the
baseness of sitting an idle spectator of such a struggle. A glance at
the lion-hearted Erskine still maintaining the unequal fight, was an
appeal to every noble and generous feeling: it nerved me for the
attempt, and though I trembled as I grasped an oar, it was with
excitement and eagerness, not with fear.

The yawl had hardly received the first impulse in the direction of the
ship, when the report of fire-arms was heard.

"Merciful heavens!" cried Morton, "the captain is down! that fiend
Luerson has shot him!"

The figure which I had taken for that of Mr Erskine, was no longer to
be distinguished among the combatants, some person was now dragged to
the side of the ship towards us, and thrown overboard; he sunk after a
feeble struggle; a triumphant shout followed, and then two men were seen
running up the rigging.

"There goes poor Spot up to the foretop," said Max, pointing to one of
the figures in the rigging; "he can only gain time at the best but it
can't be that they'll kill him in cold blood."

"Luerson is just the man to do it," answered Morton; "the faithful
fellow has stood by the captain, and that will seal his fate--look! it
is as I said," and I could see some one pointing, what was doubtless Mr
Frazer's fowling-piece, at the figure in the foretop. A parley seemed
to follow; as the result of which, the fugitive came down and
surrendered himself. The struggle now appeared to be over, and quiet
was once more restored.

So rapidly had these events passed, and so stunning was their effect,
that it was some moments before we could collect our thoughts, or fully
realise our situation; and we sat, silent and bewildered, gazing toward
the ship.

Max was the first to break silence; "And now, what's to be done?" he
said, "as to going aboard, that is of course out of the question: the
ship is no longer our home."

"I don't know what we can do," said Morton, "except to pull ashore, and
stand the chance of being taken off by some vessel, before we starve."

"Here is something better," cried Max eagerly, pointing out to sea; and,
looking in the direction indicated, we saw a large ship, with all her
sails set, steering directly for us, or so nearly so, as to make it
apparent that if she held on her present course, she must pass very near
to us. Had we not bee