Blow was met by blow, and the two men fought as though the whole issue of the war depended upon their prowess.
Presently one of the topmen, thinking that Vernon was in danger, fired, and a bullet crashed into the British captain's brain.
But when the Regina's crew saw their captain fall they fought more like demons than men.
The battle was one of the fiercest waged during the war.
The deck of the Regina looked like a slaughterhouse, the dead bodies lay scattered in piles and singly.
Every officer of the British ship was killed, and one of the crew, at last tired of the fight, took upon himself to strike the flag.
His action was received with an uproarious shout of joy, in which some of the British joined.
Both sides had suffered.
The British lost three-fourths of her crew, while the Lively Bee mourned the loss of Mr. Webster, the wounding of Scarron and four of the crew.
Poor Webster had fought like a giant, and several times his sword had been whetted with British blood before he received his fatal wound.