Chapter IX

A BRUSH WITH THE ENEMY.

When the Lively Bee parted company with the Essex, Captain Vernon began to put her in fighting trim.

"Always be ready, is my maxim," he said to Tempest.

"But surely you do not expect——"

"To meet the enemy? I never expect anything else."

"But we are disabled."

"All the more reason why we may be attacked by the enemy. Our disabled condition invites it."

So the preparations proceeded, and there was not a man on the Lively Bee but hoped a chance of a fight would be offered.

And their wish was gratified.

On the morning of the second day a frigate flying the British flag hove in sight.

"She is too big for us to tackle," said Tempest.

"Yes, but——" and Captain Vernon walked to and fro for a few minutes without finishing his sentence.

Tempest knew him well now, and awaited his pleasure.

"But it is a question of take or be taken. We can't run from that frigate, with our present rig, and I don't want to be taken prisoner."

"Neither do I. But what can we do?"

"Prove that we have spunk."

"I am with you, sir—ay, to the death."

"Well spoken, Tempest. I'd rather have a man like you on board than a whole regiment of other men."

The Lively Bee was lying much closer to the wind than the Britisher.

The frigate, when first seen, was about two miles off, and had the Lively Bee been in as good trim as when she left New York, no vessel afloat could have overtaken her.

"I know her, captain."

"Do you? Well, who and what is she?" asked Vernon.

"The Peacock, a thirty-two gunner," answered Tempest.

"Then we have no chance but in flight."

"None whatever."

"And we cannot outsail her," continued Vernon perversely.

"No, sir."

"Yet we will not be taken—at least not alive."

There was a determination in the conduct of the privateersman which endeared him to his crew.

Had he ordered each man to shoot himself, no one would have hesitated.

They gave their captain the most explicit obedience.

The Peacock drew nearer and challenged the Lively Bee to show its colors.

"You shall have them. Up with the flag of the free, boys!"

And the Stars and Stripes was run up the halliards, while a ringing cheer burst from the crew of the privateer.

The Union Jack of England was soon run up in answer, and followed by a shot.

The cannon ball fell wide of the mark and a sarcastic cheer was borne over the water to the Peacock.

A broadside was fired at the Lively Bee, but again only an upheaval of the water was the result.

"Can you cripple her, Tempest?" asked the captain.

"I think so, sir."

The Lively Bee suddenly threw her bow up into the wind, and after a short pause, fired her long gun.

The captain of the privateer watched, through his glass, and saw the shot skim over the water and strike the Peacock square in the hull, entering near the bow and raking the deck diagonally.

The Britisher did not answer, but kept on, crowding all sail, and hoping to overtake the Lively Bee and blow her out of the water.

Once again the long gun was fired, but little damage was done, and the British ship answered with a broadside.

"Captain, I can cripple her next time, I think."

"Do so, at all hazards."

The Britisher was nearing her prey.

The privateer could not hold her own under the circumstances.

The frigate sailed faster than the Lively Bee, but, not keeping a course so close to the wind, was constantly obliged to tack, in order to keep near enough to use her guns on the smaller vessel.

Tempest walked up to Vernon and put out his hand.

The captain grasped it.

There was a meaning in that handshake.

Each knew that if the next shot did not strike the Peacock there was but little chance for the Lively Bee.

Lieutenant John Tempest saw that the gun was loaded.

The little privateer luffed, and the long gun was fired.

The shot struck just where it was intended it should.

That shot brought down the foretopmast of the Peacock with the immediate result of throwing her up into the wind to repair damages.

"Now, clap on all sail, for it is our only chance," cried Vernon, and the Lively Bee began to make better headway.

They could see the Peacock black with men, and saw that the wreck of the foretopmast was cleared away in a comparatively short space of time.

"Now, boys," said Vernon, "the chase has commenced. Hurrah for the Lively Bee!"

The men cheered lustily, and feared not the British frigate, for they had obtained a good start.

Suddenly the heavy boom of a gun startled the crew of the Lively Bee.

On the starboard side loomed up a man-of-war, from whose gaff there floated the Stars and Stripes.

The Peacock shivered from bow to stern as the shot raked her deck, and she knew she was powerless, for her guns would not reach as far.

"Who is she?" asked Tempest.

Captain Vernon looked through his glass at the newcomer, and a loud, ringing cheer burst from the crew of the Lively Bee, as he spelled out the word:

"C-o-n-s-t-i-t-u-t-i-o-n."

"The Peacock will lose its tail," said Scarron.

"We shall see some fun," added Mr. Webster.

And the Lively Bee saluted the big war ship, and awaited further developments.

The Peacock, finding itself too far away from the Constitution, fired a broadside at the privateer, which had allowed itself to get within range.

The shots tore up a portion of the deck, and a splinter struck Vernon on the shoulder, ploughing a furrow through his flesh.

Tempest applied the match to his long gun again, and as the shot flew through the air, he prayed it might disable the Britisher.

A cry of distress was plainly heard from the Peacock, and later it was known that the captain and four of his men had been killed by that shot.

The senior officer turned the ship about, and instead of being the pursuer was now the pursued.

The men on the Constitution cheered the little privateer, and the salute was warmly responded to by our friends.