All hands were called and sent to quarters and both broadsides were loaded with grape and round shot for close action. When the enemy bore down within easy hailing distance, he asked through his trumpet: “What ship is that and where away?” “This is the Privateer Holker, sir,” replied Captain Risk. “You better haul down those colors, or I’ll blow you to smithereens,” returned the man-o-war’s man. “Not yet, my hearty. Fire away, Flannagan,” shouted Captain Risk to the Englishman. “Now then, let them have it, my lads!” commanded the privateersman sharply. The bright moonlight afforded good aim and the execution of the broadside spread consternation among the enemy and cut into his foreshrouds. The enemy’s broadside flew high, and cut into the Holker’s rigging as the ship rolled, with no serious damage. The Holker’s crew now braced in their yards and shot under the stern of the enemy, who had to come about on the starboard tack to ease his injured shrouds. Captain Risk now had the Englishman at his mercy. When under full headway, he wore ship and brought the starboard battery into short range, thus raking the cruiser from stem to stern. Both ships were now on the starboard tack and the Holker in the weather position. The Englishman came up on the port tack to cross the Holker’s bow for a rake, but the foxy Risk brought his ship up for the port tack, too, and filled away so fast that the broadside went astern. The chance now came for Risk. The Englishman would have to wear ship, to bring his starboard broadside into action. As quick as a flash, Risk came about on the starboard tack, passed astern and raked the cruiser a second time from stem to stern. The execution was so severe that every one of the starboard main-shrouds was carried away and the Englishman was thrown into utter confusion on his deck. The Holker had the Englishman so that his only chance was to wear ship, but his masts could not stand the strain. So the privateer came around on the port tack and came booming alongside, within pistol range, and delivered another broadside of grape that cut the crew to pieces and sent a large part of them writhing on his deck. But the cruiser’s crew was plucky, for now a running fight commenced. The Englishman got in a telling broadside, that cut the binnacle from under Captain Risk’s feet, and killed Mr. Ripley at his side. The privateer, on account of her superior sailing qualities, had to tack to bear up to her antagonist and keep from running out of range. The fire of the cruiser was getting nervous and irregular and the privateer delivered a terrific broadside that drove the men that were splicing the shrouds, under the bulwarks. As the Holker was closing in to board under cover of the smoke, a voice on the privateer’s foretop sang out: “’Vast firing. She has struck.” Captain Risk ordered his second lieutenant to board and find out her name and the damage inflicted.