NIGHTS IN THE GALLEV. 



ing the wheel to take care of itself, he jumpt aft with his cutlass in 

 his hand, to repel them ; Watts followed, and all the boarders after 

 them. The French captain led the boarders himself; he was a fine 

 young man, about nineteen, a good deal taller than Watts, but much 

 thinner ; they met : the Frenchman was at the head of his men, so 

 was Watts. Without being seen they had managed, under cover of 

 the smoke, to gain the Dandy Lion's hammock nettings. The strug- 

 gle was severe. ' You are mine, or I am yours,' says the Frenchman. 

 ' I'll not be yours alive/ answered Watts. 'Nor I yours as long as 

 my schooner can swim.' The men fought like devils. ' Strike hard 

 for Old England/ cries Watts. ' Remember you are of the great 

 nation,' said the Frenchman. ' We've had harder work than this, 

 my boys. Bear a hand and take her, lads. I want to splice the 

 main-brace.' 'Hurra! Short;' says Watts, c you shall command 

 that schooner very soon. After a desperate struggle the Frenchmen 

 were driven back to their own ship. Both had sustained great loss. 

 Watts had lost six men, and five more were below with the surgeon, 

 badly wounded. Directly they had driven the Frenchmen back, they 

 all flew to their guns, and began to hammer away again. After they 

 had fired two or three broadsides, Watts sings out, ' Come, lads, they 

 set us a good example, let's follow it ; boarders on the starboard bow, 

 follow me, boarders,' and away all ran to the starboard bow, and at- 

 tempted to board ; but the French captain was thereto meet them, at 

 the head of his men. ' We mustn't be driven back, lads fore'd / 

 sung out Watts ; and fore'd they rushed : but they had to fight 

 with brave fellers, who gallantly repulsed them. Watts and the 

 French skipper appeared to single each other out; they were always 

 to be seen fighting hand to hand in the thickest of the fight. 'Short/ 

 says Watts, ' take half-a-dozen men, and make a diversion upon her 

 starboard quarter, that may deceive them.' Away went my father 

 aft, attacked her on the starboard quarter ; and, at the same time, 

 shouted out with all his might, ' she's ours she's ours three cheers/ 

 The men cheered ; and the French captain, thinking they'd actually 

 got possession of the quarter-deck, flew aft to oppose them. ' Now's 

 your time/ cried Watts, ' one rush, and she's ours.' The men dashed 

 on ; but the French fillers fought well, and repulsed them again. !By 

 this time theFrench skipper found it was only a feint upon the starboard 

 quarter ; so leaving men enough there to engage my father, he flew 

 fore'd again to meet his old enemy, youngWatts. They met. ' Glorious 

 work this ! you are an enemy worth fighting against,' said the French 

 skipper, as he made a blow at Watts's head. ' You are worthy to be 

 an Englishman !' answered Watts, as he warded off the blow, and 

 made another at the Frenchman's right wrist. The Frenchman 

 guarded it off; and, in making a blow at Watts, his foot slipped, and 

 down he fell. Two or three of Watts's men flew in upon him, to 

 seize hold of him, and drag him on board. 'Let him alone,' said 

 Watts. ' Get up, Sir/ said he : ' you saved my life when one of 

 your men pointed a musket at me. I give you yours, in return/ 

 Up he jumped : their swords were crossed again. Watts and his men 

 fought like devils ; and so did the Frenchmen, who drove Watts 

 back to his ship again. ' To your guns, lads !' cried Watts ; ' we'll 



