when Tim saw his head protruding above the combing. "Bear a hand here, or shure the mounseers will be out of the trap," he shouted, at the same time seizing a capstan-bar, which was close at hand, and dealing a blow with it at the head of the Frenchman, who fell stunned off the ladder, back upon his companions following at his heels. Notwithstanding this, immediately they had recovered themselves they again attempted to get up, and another man had succeeded in raising half his body above the hatchway. Tim attacked him as he had done the first; the man, however, who was a powerful fellow, grasped the capstan-bar, and getting his knee on the combing was about to deal a blow at Tim which would have felled him to the deck, when one of the English crew, attracted by his cries, sprang to his assistance, and, wrenching the weapon from the Frenchman's hands, struck him dead. Two more only had now to be disposed of; they, still in ignorance of the fate of their companions, sprang up the hatchway, and before they had time to gain their feet were thrown down and secured. The man who had fallen below was groaning heavily. "He'll do no harm," observed Pat Casey. "Arrah, don't be too shure of that," said Tim; "if he was to come to life, he'd be after letting loose the others. It will be wiser to lash him too; and unless the dead man is kilt entirely, I'd advise that we prevent him from doing mischief." Pat felt the Frenchman's head. "Shure, I never knew a man come to life with a hole like this in his skull," he remarked, "but to make shure in case of accidents, we'll heave him overboard;" and without more ado the body of the Frenchman, who was undoubtedly dead, was shoved through the foremost port. Lieutenant Vinoy had not vainly boasted that he was a sound sleeper, for notwithstanding the scuffle over his head, he did not awake; and happily Norah, who had been stationed at his cabin door to keep him in check should he attempt to break out, was not called upon to exercise her courage. The two events which have been described were, it will be understood, taking place at the same time. During those exciting moments no one thought of what the ship was about; the consequence was that she flew up into the wind, and it became necessary to box her off. All hands were required for this purpose--the fore-yards had to be braced round, the after-yards squared away. Owen, from his wound, being the least able to exert himself, went to the helm, the captain hauling away with the rest of the crew. "Gerald, do you go forward and keep a look-out on our prisoners," cried the captain. "If their arms by chance are not securely lashed, one or more of them may be getting free and setting the others at liberty. Call Tim Maloney to help you."