“You may return,” he answered.
“Thank you, father, thank you,” said Walter, springing after his sister and Nub.
He soon came back. “Alice is now all right,” he said. “Nub has been telling her that we probably shall not have much fighting, as the battle will soon be over, and we shall no doubt take the enemy.”
The brig was soon within range of the whaler’s guns, and showed her readiness for the fight by firing the first shot, which came crashing through the bulwarks, and striking one man to the deck.
“Give it to them, my lads!” cried Captain Tredeagle; and the whaler’s broadside was fired at her opponent with an effect scarcely expected—one of the shot going right through the brig’s foretopmast, sending it with all its sail and rigging overboard. The English crew cheered lustily. Captain Tredeagle ordered the helm to be put down, intending to shoot ahead of the brig and rake her; but before he could do so, she fired her broadside, which came sweeping across the deck, killing two men and wounding three others. It was her last effort, however; for the whaler, passing ahead of her, poured in her broadside in return, rending her mainmast, and killing several of her crew. Finding that all resistance was useless, the French colours were hauled down.
Walter’s first impulse was to rush below to Alice. “Good news! good news!” he exclaimed; “we have taken a prize! Hurrah! hurrah! You may come up into the cabin; but you had better not go on deck, for there are sights there you would not wish to see.”
Walter was right, for the three men lately killed lay stark and stiff on the deck, which was sprinkled in many places with blood; while three others severely wounded were under the doctor’s hands. Besides this, a portion of the bulwarks was knocked away; and, what was of still more consequence, two of her boats were almost irretrievably damaged.
A boat was lowered, and the first mate pulled away to board the prize. The damage she had received was severe; besides which, a number of her crew had been killed and wounded. The captain and two of his officers had also lost their lives. The prize was of less value than was expected, as she had only a small assortment of articles on board, for the purpose of trading with the natives. Captain Tredeagle’s own crew would of necessity be weakened to carry her into port; the nearest to which he could send her being Sydney in New South Wales. Some time must also be spent in rigging jury-masts and refitting her for the voyage: so that, whatever others might have thought, he very much regretted having fallen in with the brig, the battle proving, as in most instances when nations or people fall out, a loss to both parties. He gave the command to the third mate and six hands, all that could be spared; and they would have, besides navigating the brig, to look after the prisoners, most of whom remained on board.
Fortunately the weather remained calm, though even then it took three days to prepare the brig for the voyage. A third of her crew were received on board the Champion, they having volunteered to join her. Both vessels then made sail, the Champion accompanying the prize. They had not got far, however, when the lookout at the masthead gave the welcome cry of “There they spout! there they spout!”
“Where away?” asked the captain.