Talbot smiled with good humor.
“Play for that, my brave fellows,” he called out, above the din of battle. “Once get the mainmast overside, and we can board her.”
With a cheer, his sailors redoubled their efforts to sink the Dragon, and solid shot fairly rained into her hull, as the two antagonists bobbed around the rolling ocean in this death grapple. Thus they sparred and clashed for four and a half hours, when, with a great splitting of sails and wreck of rigging, the mainmast of the Dragon trembled, wavered, and fell to leeward with a sickening thud.
“She’s ours!” yelled Captain Talbot, through his dented speaking trumpet.
Sure enough, the Dragon had had enough. Her wings had been clipped, and, in a moment more, a white flag flew from her rigging.
“The Argo is sinking! The Argo is sinking!” came a cry, at this moment.
“Inspect the sides of our sloop,” cried Talbot.
This was done, immediately, and it was found that there were numerous shot-holes between wind and water, which were speedily plugged up. Then, bearing down upon the crippled Dragon, she was boarded; a prize-crew was put aboard; and the Argo steered for home, her men singing,
“Talk about your gay, old cocks,
Yankee, Doodle, Dandy,
‘Si’ Talbot he can heave the blocks,
And stick like pepp’mint candy.
“Yankee—Doodle—Shoot and kill,
Yankee—Doodle—Dandy,
Yankee—Doodle—Back an’ fill,
Yankee—Doodle—Dandy.”