Meantime the gunboat saw that the ram designed to run her down, and swinging round, welcomed the visitor with a full broadside. As the sound of the guns and their tremendous reverberations ran along the shore, the answer came in a terrific onslaught from the batteries above. Pandemonium seemed to have broken loose. Shot and shell whistled and sang through the air carrying death and desolation in their wake. Shouts and cries added to the confusion of the moment. The ram, foiled in her first attempt to run down the Yankee, withdrew a short distance and turned again upon the boat. This time she got her sharp bow full in upon the heavy iron sides of the gunboat but her headway was not sufficient to cause any very serious damage. Before she could get away the Captain of the Yankee vessel rushed upon the hurricane deck and seizing a pistol shot the rebel pilot dead. The rebel crew retaliated by shooting him down. In the meantime the ram prepared for another blow, withdrawing for a terrific onslaught. Just at this moment a shell struck the magazine of the plucky gunboat. There was an instantaneous explosion and the boat was blown to atoms, her gallant crew perishing with her. "We are doomed," groaned Captain Leathers. "Nothing can save us now. Are you ready to die, little girl?" "Ready, Captain," came from Jeanne's pale lips, and she arose from her place behind the cotton. "But I want to die standing. I wish we could shoot, Captain." "So do I. But we are at their mercy. It would be a relief to do something, but to die without a chance for a shot. Ah!" The exclamation was caused by the fact that the light of the bonfires was dying down, and the transport was nearing the turn of the lower bend. The shadows grew deeper and longer, and soon only a pale flickering flame remained of the brilliant light of a short time before. Then the blackness of night settled once more upon the river and a cheer broke from the crew as the transport rounded the lower bend of the great loop upon which Vicksburg stood, and passed out from under the batteries of the modern Gibraltar. "Will that terrible vessel come after us?" asked Jeanne hardly realizing that the danger was over. "No, child. We are safe. The ram knows that Farragut is somewhere near here, and she will not venture out to-night. We are safe; thank God!" "Thank God!" echoed the girl faintly. "Safe! Oh, Captain, Captain!" and she burst into a passion of weeping. "Why, my little heroine, what does this mean?" cried Captain Leathers dismayed. "You were cool enough through that fire of grape and canister. 'Ready to die,' you said; 'just so that you could die standing.' It was enough to frighten the bravest man, yet you were not afraid. And now you break down?"