Chapter V

THE CHASE.

A fresh breeze was blowing when the American fleet began the chase after the Belvidera.

In a few hours the President had drawn away from the fleet, and was forging ahead.

Then the little Wasp, as lively as the insect after which it was named, came closely after.

The big United States followed next, with the Essex in good position.

Then commenced a contest of speed between the representative vessels of the two greatest nations on earth.

The English ship was trying to get away, the American endeavoring to catch her.

The Belvidera was a swift vessel, but it had to maneuver considerably, for the Wasp was trying to get into the offing to prevent escape, and the Lively Bee was keeping up the excitement by sending a shot at intervals, whenever the Britisher got within safe distance.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon when Commodore Rodgers leaped into the rigging to take another view of his adversary.

He was well satisfied.

His heart beat with enthusiasm.

War had been declared, and he was to be the one to fire the first shot at the British power on the seas.

For although the privateer had done effectual work, the navy did not give it credit.

Rodgers went to the bow of the President and sighted the gun himself.

His shot was a good one, hulling the enemy.

Captain Vernon saw it through his glass and he cried out loudly:

"Bravo, Rodgers! Give him another!"

A second shot followed before the Belvidera could reply.

The American was superior in gunning, and every shot told.

A third shot from the President broke off the muzzle of one of the Belvidera's stern-chasers, while another shot crashed into the stern of the chase, killing two men and wounding several others.

The men on the Belvidera were now all excitement.

Captain Byron bit his lips in anger.

He had sighted the guns himself, but had done no damage to the American.

He ordered two long eighteen-pounders on the main deck to the stern, and two thirty-two-pound carronades on the quarter deck.

With these he kept up an incessant fire, many shots being effective.

The rigging of the President was cut in many places, and one midshipman was killed.

While the excitement was at its height a young midshipman on the President, a boy whose years could not have exceeded ten, performed a most daring feat.

A gun was sighted at the Belvidera, but the gunner was stricken down as he was in the act of firing.

The boy saw it and with patriotic fervor, shouted:

"I'll have one shot at the rascals anyway."

But he could find no match with which to fire the gun.

Not to be daunted, he rushed to the galley and picking up a live coal in his fingers, he hurried with it, regardless of the intense pain, and placed it on the priming.

Instantly the report showed that he had fulfilled his threat, and had fired one shot at the enemy.

His thumb and finger were burned to the bones, but he was happy.

And the shot was an effective one.

A lieutenant and two marines were killed by it as it tore its way along the deck.

The chase continued for another hour, the flagship leading all the others, the Lively Bee watching the chase, but taking no part just then.

It was only a question of a few hours when the President would overtake the English ship.

But just when victory was in sight a loud explosion startled everybody, and directed the attention of the whole fleet to the President.

Commodore Rodgers had again sighted his heavy gun, which was getting so hot that he almost deemed it unsafe to load it.

"One more shot," he cried, as he applied the match.

A cloud of smoke hung over the President as the noise of the report cleared away.

In firing that shot the gun had burst with a terrific report, the flying fragments killing or wounding sixteen men.

The commodore was thrown high into the air, and fell heavily on the deck, suffering a severe fracture of his leg.

Panic set in.

Some of the sailors were for hauling down the flag, but they were only raw recruits, and were quickly overpowered by the older men.

The accident caused a cessation of the firing for a time, and the Belvidera took advantage of it to show her heels.

"Follow her! Rake her with shot and shell!" shouted the wounded commodore. "Don't let her escape!"

But the Britisher had lightened herself.

Her anchors and boats were cut away and fourteen tons of water were thrown overboard.

Thus lightened, she began to draw away from the President.

The latter yawed several times, and let fly full broadsides at the escaping cruiser.

The shot rattled among the spars of the Belvidera, but the nimble topmen quickly repaired all damages; and the British ship increased the distance between herself and the American fleet.

The Lively Bee followed at a safe distance.

"What do you think now, Tempest?" asked Captain Vernon.

"I'd humble that proud Briton if I had my way," answered the young lieutenant.

"Can we do it?"

"I'd like to try."

"Do as you please; the Lively Bee shall be under your orders," answered Captain Vernon, and young Tempest raised his hand to heaven, while from his lips there arose a cry, which was like the registering of a solemn oath.

"Before heaven I swear my hand shall know no rest, my life no pleasure, until the British acknowledge our right to liberty!"

"Amen!" responded Vernon.

And the Lively Bee started in the darkness of night in the wake of the Belvidera.

But in the night a storm arose; the thunder shook the schooner, making every timber creak and groan like a living thing in anguish.

The lightning played about the rigging, and Captain Vernon wrung his hands in despair.

"Can she live through it?" he asked.

"Ay, ay, captain, for the Lively Bee has a glorious work to do."

"Heaven grant you are right, Tempest, for she is the pride of my heart."

The waves dashed over her deck; the thunders roared like ten thousand parks of artillery; and men who had only used the name of the Creator in blasphemy prayed to Him for succor and safety.