Pompey, who had accompanied Mr Ferris and his daughter below, returned to report that he had seen them safe in the hold. "De gentlemen want to come back and fight, but de young lady no let him--she cry so, and hold his hand, and say he get kill; so at last he sit down and stay quiet," remarked Pompey. "I am very glad to hear it," observed Owen; "he could be of no use in working the guns, and it would be a sad thing to have him injured." These remarks were made in the intervals of firing. The enemy, however, did not leave them long at rest; their shot soon began to tell with fearful effect; several of the crew fell killed or wounded, and the sails and rigging were much cut about. Still Owen's men were staunch, and stood manfully to their guns, running them in and out so rapidly, and pointing them so well, that they inflicted as much damage as they received; and by the way he manoeuvred his ship he kept the stranger at a distance, and prevented her from running up alongside, which it was evidently her intention to do. She, however, it appeared, by possessing a numerous crew, had an immense advantage in being able to repair her damages far more rapidly than could the people of the _Ouzel Galley_ those their ship received. At length, however, the rigging of his ship was so much cut up that Owen could no longer manoeuvre her as he had done, and the pirate, taking advantage of his condition, ran alongside him. "The enemy are about to board us!" cried Owen; "be ready to repel him-- they'll give no quarter!"