n, and close to her bows, two dark objects showed where the pirates
had boarded.

The survivors of the boat which had been cut in two by the shot from the
forecastle gun, had swum for the brig, scrambling over her bulwarks just
as the captain so fiercely attacked the Malay leader. Both had
grappled, and had rolled, struggling and fighting, into the chains, as
the new comers, at once dashing forward, again bore back the crew. The
forecastle was black with pirates.

"Lie down, men, shelter under the break of the quarter-deck!" shouted
Hughes, as he jumped aft, and with nervous strength slewed round the
second nine-pounder, pointing it so as to sweep the forecastle. "Down,
down, for your lives!"

The next moment the loud report which had so startled Isabel rang out,
and the rifle bullets swept in a storm of lead right among the black
mass of men crowding the forecastle. Seizing the moment, with a loud
cheer the now inspirited crew dashed on, over the dead and dying, and
the broken pirates leaped madly over the bows. Many dropped into the
sea, but swimming, were picked up; the boats shoved off, crippled, and
pulling but few oars, a ringing cheer from the crew following them just
as the frightened girl found herself on deck.

Hughes stood by the gun, his clothes torn, and his face black with the
smoke; the peculiar smell of blood was perceptible, mixed with the odour
of the gunpowder, and Isabel feeling it became sick and weak, just as a
dark form, bounding from the main chains, leaped on to the quarter-deck.
A loud shriek burst from her lips, as the Malay leader threw himself on
Hughes. Partially overpowered, the soldier grasped his powerful foe by
the throat. They swayed to and fro, struggling and fighting; the
frightened girl rushed forward, the Malay striking wildly at her with
his dagger. With a scream of pain Isabel fell on the deck just as a
tremendous blow from the broken spar, given with a hearty good will,
smashed in the Malay's skull, both he and the soldier, who was held in
the death grasp, falling to the deck.

"Hurrah for Old England!" shouted the excited captain, as he flourished
the jagged and blood-besmeared spar over his head with one hand, and
dragged Hughes clear of the dead Malay with the other. "See if any of
the miscreants are below. A short shrift and a pistol bullet if you
find any, my lads. Here, Mr Lowe, lend a hand with this lubber; he
nearly did for me just now, but we are quits."