ld be taken, etcetera: and concluded by observing,
that they were by no means to consider themselves as fettered by what he
had proposed, but merely to regard them as hints to guide their conduct,
if found preferable to any others which might be suggested by the
peculiarity of the service, and the measures adopted by the enemy. The
officers returned on deck, and descended into their respective boats,
where they found many of the younger midshipmen, who, although not
selected for the service, had smuggled themselves into the boats that
they might be participators in the conflict. Captain M---, although he
did not send them on the service, had no objection to their going, and
therefore pretended not to see them when he looked over the side, and
desired the boats to shove off. Directly the order was given, the
remainder of the ship's company mounted the rigging, and saluted them
with three cheers.

The boats' crews tossed their oars while the cheers were given, and
returned the same number. The oars again descended into the water, and
the armament pulled in for the shore.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

Conquest pursues, where courage leads the way.
GARTH.

The glasses of Captain M---, and the officers who remained on board of
the frigate, were anxiously pointed towards the boats, which in less
than half an hour had arrived within gunshot of the privateer. "There
is a gun from her," cried several of the men at the same moment, as the
smoke boomed along the smooth water. The shot dashed up the spray under
the bows of the boats, and _ricochetting_ over them, disappeared in the
wave, about half a mile astern.

The boats, which, previously, had been pulling in altogether, and
without any particular order, now separated, and formed a line abreast,
so that there was less chance of the shot taking effect than where they
were before, en masse.

"Very good, Mr Price," observed the captain, who had his eye fixed on
them, through his glass.

The boats continued their advance towards the enemy, who fired her two
long guns, both of which she had brought over to her starboard side,
but, though well directed, the shot did not strike any of her
assailants.

"There's grape, sir," said the master, as the sea was torn and ploughed
up with it close to the launch, which, with the other boats, was now
within a hundred yards of the privateer.

"The launch returns her fire," observed Captain M---.

"And there's blaze away from t