"Yes, I will not forget your message, and I assure you, Nat, that I should care very much indeed if you were to be killed," answered Owen. "But do not be down-hearted; it will be a great thing to have been in a fight, although we may have taken no very active part in it." Owen and Nat were stationed on the main deck, and had just brought up their powder from below. "Hold your tongues, youngsters," said a midshipman, who just then passed. Owen recognised Mr Ashurst; he looked pale, but whether this was from the thoughts of the coming fight, or from some other cause, Owen could not tell. He was stationed at the guns which it was Owen's duty to keep supplied. The second lieutenant passed along the deck, speaking an encouraging word to the men at each of the guns, while he gave the orders in regard to their mode of firing. He then turned to the boys, and addressed a few kind remarks to them. During this time the French frigate had shortened sail, showing that she had no intention of avoiding an action. Owen could only get a glimpse of her through the port. The "Sylvia" had tacked several times. Again Mr Leigh came along the deck. "In another minute we shall pass under the enemy's stern, and every gun from forward is to be fired in succession," he cried. Just as he spoke, loud roars were heard, and several of the Frenchmen's shot struck the frigate's upper works, none penetrating to the main deck. Owen peered out eagerly to try and get a glimpse of the enemy; then their own guns began firing, the crew cheering as their shot told with considerable effect. The French frigate, however, which had immediately luffed up, though too late to avoid being raked, returned the fire with her other broadside. The two frigates ran on together to the eastward, exchanging broadsides as fast as the guns could be run in and loaded. "I wonder when she's going to give in?" said Nat to Owen as they returned from below with a fresh supply of powder. "Before long, if we continue pounding her as we have hitherto done," said Owen, who after the first shots had been fired felt as cool as he had ever done in his life. Nat, too, recovered his self-possession, and seemed to have lost all his fears. Still, it was a trying time for youngsters who had never before been in battle. Round shot at times struck the ship in quick succession. Three or four men had been killed on the main deck, and others had been carried below badly wounded. Owen had observed Mr Ashurst constantly moving about, evidently in no very happy frame of mind. "I say," observed Nat, "I rather think he doesn't half like it," pointing at the midshipman as he spoke. "You have no right to think that," answered Owen. At that moment a shot struck the cill of the port nearest to the spot where Owen was seated, killing one man and wounding another, then flying across the deck close to Mr Ashurst, it committed further havoc on the other side, laying low another of the crew.