The colonel stood as if snuffing up the smoke of battle, and coolly criticising the manoeuvres of the combatants.
The interests of Pedro Alvarez seemed now to side with the flag of France, under which he had so long fought, now with the “Scorpion,” commanded by his friend. Lawrence kept moving about the platform rubbing his hands and cheering loudly every time a broadside was delivered.
“Well done, ‘Scorpion’!”
“Bravo, my boy!” shouted Lord Claymore and Rolf, in concert, as the Frenchman’s foretop-mast went over the side.
This caused him to luff up, and the “Scorpion,” shooting ahead, poured a raking broadside into his bows. On this, the Frenchman’s helm was put to starboard, by which he was able to fire his hitherto disengaged starboard broadside. It had, however, the effect of bringing his head round, and now once more he stood towards the land, while the “Scorpion” ran on in an opposite direction. It was but for a minute, she also quickly came about and ranged up on the enemy’s weather beam, pouring in the whole of her larboard broadside.
As the smoke cleared away, the Frenchman was seen with her foremast and main-top-mast gone, while the “Scorpion” did not appear to have lost a spar.
“Hurrah, my brave Ronald! the day is yours,” shouted Rolf. “It is but a matter of time.”
Still the Frenchman fired on, but the wreck of his masts seemed to impede the working of his foremost guns. It appeared as if the “Scorpion” was about again to pass ahead, when the two ships met, and lay locked together in a deadly embrace. The guns continued to roar as before, and clouds of smoke enveloped the combatants. It was a period of awful suspense—no one on the platform spoke. The firing ceased; the canopy of smoke disappeared. The two flags of England and France flew out as before from the peaks of the two ships.
“Morton has boarded the Frenchman,” cried Lord Claymore at length. “No doubt now as to the result. The Frenchmen fight bravely though. At them again, my boys! Hurrah!—hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!” shouted Rolf. “Down comes the Frenchmen’s flag.”
The fight was over, the “Scorpion” was the victor.