"Orders or no orders, I will fire one round if I lose my commission for it. Blow your matches, boys!" The guns were already manned, and at the word there was a flash of light, a puff of smoke, and a round shot came hissing and shrieking across the water and struck the _Priscilla_'s mainmast fairly in the middle, splintering it. The sloop staggered under the blow, and in a minute or two the mast went by the board with a crash. A great cheer broke from the _Margaretta_'s men at that. "Never mind," cried Jerry. "This is not the first mast that was ever carried away, and we have spare spars and carpenters too. Wait for us in Holmes Bay, and we will fight it out yard-arm to yard-arm before sundown." The _Margaretta_, with her men cheering and jeering, sailed away toward the open sea. The _Priscilla_ being the best-found sloop in New England, in a little while the stump of the mast was cleared away, a lighter spar, but still good enough, was fitted, and she made sail on it. As she neared the ocean the wind freshened every moment, and although the sun shone brilliantly, a heavy sea was kicked up. Soon they sighted the _Margaretta_, with her topsail backed, and gallantly waiting for her enemy. In all this time Jack Leverett showed a steadiness and coolness beyond his years. Once Jerry O'Brien said to him, "Youngster, if you flinch, depend upon it, your father shall know it." "All right," answered Jack; "and if I don't flinch I want my mother to know it." The two vessels now neared each other on opposite tacks. Captain Moore manoeuvred to get into a raking position before delivering his fire, but the _Priscilla_, by skilful yawing and by the roughness of the sea, proved to be as difficult to hit as if she had been a cork bobbing up and down. In vain they played their two starboard guns and all their swivels on her; their shot rarely struck, and when it struck, did small damage. Not so with the Americans. Without a single cannon, they poured forth a musketry fire at close quarters that did fearful work and made hot the _Margaretta_'s decks. The brave British sailors stood manfully to their guns, but the Americans were gradually edging up, and their fire grew more deadly every moment. The _Margaretta_ tried to sheer off, but the _Priscilla_, closing up, got her jibboom entangled in her adversary's main rigging, and a dozen Americans sprang forward to make the two ships fast. As the vessels came grinding together Jerry O'Brien, leaping on the taffrail, shouted, "I will be the first man to board--and follow me!" But Jerry was mistaken. He was suddenly seized by the coat tails, jerked backwards, and fell sprawling upon the deck, and the next instant Jack Leverett sprang over him, and was first upon the _Margaretta_'s deck. "Drat the boy!" was Jerry's involuntary exclamation as he scrambled to his feet.