"We are signaled to lay to, sir. What shall we do?" CHAPTER XIX. BOB, THE POWDER-MONKEY. "Their flag is but a rag, Ours is the true one; Up with the Stars and Stripes! Down with the old one!" Tempest tore himself away from the side of Bertha and leaped on deck. He saw a sloop of war, flying the English ensign, between the _Caroline_ and the shore. Quickly exchanging signals with the _Lively Bee_, a course of action was agreed upon. They must put out to sea. The flight was attended with danger, for they might fall in with larger war ships; the only chance they had was to escape in the darkness of night. "Stand by to get under way!" shouted John Tempest. "The wind is rising, and methinks the _Caroline_ can show her heels as well as the _Lively Bee_." The order was obeyed with alacrity, for the men loved a fight, even though the odds were against them, and they believed ere morning dawned they would smell powder. The breeze ruffled the surface of the water around the _Caroline_, breaking into myriads of little waves, which leaped and danced and sparkled as the last rays of the sun fell upon the ocean. The sloop-of-war had signaled the _Caroline_ and _Lively Bee_ to lay to, but no notice was taken. Then the Britisher fired a gun, and Tempest ordered the starry ensign to be dipped three times by way of salute. It was galling to the Englishman, and our young Yankee intended it should be. The sails were spread to the breeze; the jib which extended along the bowsprit was hoisted, and the good ship _Caroline_, bending low before the wind, moved along with increasing velocity. The sloop gained upon them. "Set the gaff-topsails, and hoist away the spencer!" shouted Tempest, and the men answered with a ready obedience. The spencer, with three small, triangular sails stretched from the topmast, were now spread to the wind, giving additional speed to the vessel. Straining through every joint, the _Caroline_ parted the green waves before her, flinging the foam in feathery showers around her bows. The sloop was gaining even then, and Tempest saw that they were in for a fight, unless darkness came on suddenly. He heard his name called, and knew that Bertha was awake. He hastened down the companionway. "What was that report, John?" she asked. "A gun was fired." "At this ship?" "No, it was a signal." "What for?" "Bertha, it is as well that you should know. We are putting out to sea." "Then you deceived me?" "No, Bertha; but a man-of-war is chasing us." "And we shall all be killed." "I hope not. We shall have to fight." "Not with me on board?" she asked, with a little frightened scream. "Seeing, my dear Bertha, that if you get off you will be drowned, I am afraid you will have to endure the annoyance." "But why go out to sea? Have I not had enough sea?" "My dear Bertha----"