Colonel Armytage kept his post on the deck, eyeing the English ships.
“It would be wiser for you, sir, to go below,” said the captain. “We shall be hotly engaged soon, and there is no reason why you should expose your life.”
“I have never avoided danger in whatever form it has presented itself,” answered the colonel, haughtily. “I do not feel disposed to show on the present occasion that I have a faint heart.”
“As you like, colonel,” said the captain, shrugging his shoulders. “It is an odd fancy some men have for making targets of their heads.”
The shots now came with greater rapidity on board the frigate. Her sails had several holes in them, and some of her standing as well as of her running rigging had been cut away. Still, only one of the chasing ships was near enough to fire, but the other two were coming up fast. The brave captain looked at his foes, and then at the friendly forts.
“We shall soon escape from them,” he observed to his lieutenant. “But one of these shots may any moment cut short my career. Should I fall, fight the ship to the last. And, Alfonse, remember—Colonel Armytage and Father Mendez know all.”
The French frigate was drawing in closer and closer to the fort. Suddenly one of the guns from it sent a shot flying past her towards her enemy. Several followed. The French garrison had got the range. Still, the Englishman did not give up the pursuit. A fortunate shot might enable him to bring the enemy to closer action. At length, however, a shot from the fort carried away his foretop-gallant-mast, another might do still further damage; and as it would have been extreme rashness to continue the pursuit further, he hauled his wind and made the best of his way out of the range of the guns of the forts, while the French frigate came to an anchor safe under their shelter near several line-of-battle ships and frigates.
No sooner had the sails been furled than Captain Tacon came aft, and begged at once to be taken to the admiral.
“I told you that I was coming to give important information,” he said coolly. “I prefer giving it to the admiral, who has the power to reward me as I deserve.”
The captain had nothing whatever to say against this, and accordingly conducted him on board the flag-ship. The old pirate then gave the information that the English had resolved to attempt the destruction of the French fleet by fire-ships; and, as a proof, exhibited the plan which he had abstracted from Lord Claymore’s cabin.