Then it was that I became able to distinguish the different forms in the darkness, and saw that from two boats alongside men were making an attempt to gain a foothold on the Swiftsure’s deck, although there was no further room for a single one. [Illustration: “MEN WERE MAKING AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD ON THE SWIFTSURE’S DECK.”] Then I made out the figures of Abel and Sam standing back to back, the first using the tiller as a weapon, and the other fighting, back with bare knuckles two ruffians who were close upon him with knives. By this time I had gathered myself sufficiently to be able to render some service, and brought down the butt of the musket upon one scoundrel’s head with such force that I could count on his being out of the battle many hours to come, if not forever. The one thought in my mind was that the British had taken our people in Brooklyn by surprise, and this intended capture of the sloop was but a portion of their plan of action. There was fierce delight in my heart at the idea of thus being able to strike a blow against the red-coats, when it had seemed as if the orders given by Lieutenant Winterbottom ruled us out of any honorable share of the work. After this it would be impossible for me to set down of my own knowledge all that occurred during the next ten or fifteen minutes, for I knew little else save the fact that I was straining every nerve and muscle to beat back those who had already boarded the sloop, and at the same time prevent others from taking their places. We were beset on either side and from the bow, showing that no less than three boat-loads of scoundrels had come to overpower our crew of five, and this in itself was sufficient to lend me fictitious strength, at the same time that it took away in a measure all sense of pain, or of fear, when I was struck, as frequently happened, heavy blows upon the body which had missed my head. And during all this time our enemy had fought silently; but it did not occur to me as strange until the thought came that they feared to make a noise lest our friends on shore should hear and come to the rescue, and yet, if it was a party of British whom we were opposing, how could they have put off while we were at anchor without first having overcome those Americans who were stationed near the ferry-way? I made no outcry, simply because it did not occur to me that it would be of any avail to raise my voice, so firmly was it fixed in my mind that we were entirely cut off from our friends. There was little time to speculate upon anything of this kind. That which I have set down ran through my mind rather as the lightning flashes through black clouds, and is gone on the instant. During every moment I was obliged to exert all my skill and strength to save my life, for these fellows who had come aboard were bent on killing, and that seemed their first purpose, even though the capture of the sloop might be the secondary reason for the attack.