he exclaimed. "That'll teach them to
leave honest folk alone, eh?" and he waved his sword exultantly towards
the enemy.

"It is wise not to hurrah until you are out of the wood, my boy," said
Mr. Paterson, who just then chanced to be passing. "That is only first
blood for us. The buccaneers will soon return to the attack, and then
may Heaven defend us!"

If the _Bonnie Scotland_ had been anything but the slow-going tub she
was she might have made her escape while the buccaneer was repairing
damages. But it was not in her to do this, and she wallowed cumbrously
in the waves until the enemy once more ranged close.

Although her sides were pierced for many guns whose black muzzles were
thrust threateningly out, the buccaneer, for some reason, reserved her
fire. Perhaps, having no doubt as to the issue of the struggle, her
commander wished to save the other vessel as far as possible uninjured.

Approaching more warily this time, he so managed as to come up astern
of the _Bonnie Scotland_, and, in spite of the latter's efforts to
avoid the onset, bore down upon her, the two ships colliding with a
grinding crash and the rattle of interlocking spars.

The sight of the buccaneers as they crowded the bulwarks, ready to
spring on board their prey, was certainly enough to affright the
stoutest heart. Every countenance seemed that of an incarnate fiend,
rendered more hideous by the blood-red handkerchief which was their
only head-covering. They were seething with rage at the loss they had
already suffered, and shook their cutlasses fiercely, while they
shouted like madmen.

Donalblane's eagerness for a fight was decidedly chilled by the
appalling appearance of these assailants, but he did not lose control
of himself, and when Mr. Paterson gave the command, fired his pistols
one after the other into the yelling horde of scoundrels. With what
effect he never knew, for the next instant all was the wildest
confusion, the men of the _Bonnie Scotland_ opposing the buccaneers
with boarding-pike, battle-axe, sword, and claymore, and beating them
back again and again with much shedding of blood on both sides.

Whatever other virtues they lacked, these adventurers were certainly
not deficient in brawn or bravery. They stood their ground splendidly,
and Donalblane's heart thrilled with pride as he saw that the
buccaneers were gaining no advantage. He himself was no idle
spectator. Throwing aside his pistols he seized a big