AN ADVENTURE AT SEA. 259 



laden ship, though the fleetest of her class, could not show her 

 heek to advantage, witliout a stronger wind. Macy tried his 

 vessel upon every tack — but escape was impossible — the wedge- 

 like schooner gained upon him at every turn. 



"Now would I give the half of our cargo,'* said Macy, "for a 

 few guns to speak to that saucy little scamp in his own language ! '' 

 And then turning to Jethro, he said, rather bitterly, " Dost thou 

 remember, friend Coffin, what I told thee about the six-pounders, 

 before we left port? I fear thou wilt pay dearly enough for not 

 taking my advice. There comes salute number two ! '' 



A gun at that moment was fired from the Frenchman, across 

 the bow of the Grampus ; but the shot weiit wide, and "vyas most 

 probably intended merely as a warning to heave to. Seth paced 

 the deck in great agony of spirit, muttering, as he went, words 

 that sounded very much like '^ damnation^'' and the like. The 

 sound may have been equivocal to the ear of Jethro, for he 

 forebore to put in his usual caution of " Swear not at allf^^ as 

 he was wont to do, whenever Captain Seth used obnoxious 

 words. 



The Grampus was now kept off two or three points, and a 

 foretopmast-studdingsail was about being set ; but, in the hurry 

 of the moment, by some mishap the tack got unrove. A couple 

 of hands were ordered aloft to rig in the boom, and reeve the 

 tack anew. In an instant little Isaac, who had heard the order, 

 put the end of the rope between his teeth, ran up the fore-shrouds, 

 crept out on the top of the fore-yard like a monkey, and then out 

 upon the bare boom. But, before he had accomplished his task, 

 the Frenchmen brought their long-torn, charged with small shot, 

 to bear upon the yard, and let drive at Isaac ; thinking, probably 

 that his labour might be the means of enabling the Grampus to 

 escape. The little fellow was not disconcerted by this terrible 

 salute, although the balls whistled like hail around him. He 

 fearlessly and deliberately went on with his work. 



"They are again charging the gun!'' shouted English Bill. 

 " Come down, my boy ! — Creep in ! Creep in ! Seize one of the 

 halliards, and let yourself down with a run ! " 



"Ay, ay," cried Isaac, as he finished reeving the tack. He 

 then quickly gathered a few fathoms in his hand, threw the coil 

 down upon the forecastle, and the sail was immediately hoisted. 

 The long-torn was again elevated, and the gunner was in the act 

 of applying the match ; but Isaac stopped not for the additional 

 peppering ; 



