"Fire!" shouted the three Carbonari. "The divine justice of which Naundorff spoke," said René. "Nevertheless, inasmuch as a few buckets of water may extinguish that justice, let us send a salute to the English flag, Captain," ironically remarked Louis Pierre. Soliviac gave the order and four little cannon, with a simultaneous precision which revealed practice, sent their load into the schooner's side. "Load again!" shouted Soliviac. "At the masts and spars!" Aboard the schooner, the unexpected attack produced panic. The crew ran back and forth in consternation and the smoke grew denser. "Louis Pierre!" called out Giacinto in ferocious joy, "I see Volpetti aboard." The Polipheme's second discharge broke the mizzen mast, which, falling, caught beneath it two of the sailors. The smoke rose in great columns and 'twas impossible to see what further happened. "Where are we?" asked Soliviac of the pilot. "Opposite the isle of Jersey, but nearer the shore than they. Those who count on swimming ashore have slim chance." "Keep an eye on the skiffs," called the captain. "Now they are trying to save themselves." Red tongues of flame shot out amid the smoke. The captain commanded. "Another salute! Let water in to quench their fire." Again the cannons' load was poured into the schooner's side. She attempted no defence, for all her energy was directed to fighting the fire aboard. One of the Polipheme's balls went into her bow, and the water roared through the aperture. "Now she goes to the bottom!" shouted Giacinto, wild with joy. Just then the crew lowered a skiff. The tiny craft dropped to the water and floated like a shell, and several persons cast themselves therein. Two seized the oars and, to the astonishment of the spectators, started toward the Polipheme, whose sailors would gladly have fired upon them had not Louis Pierre interposed. The skiff came within hailing distance. Two men, a woman and a child of some five years were visible. "Save us!" they entreated wildly. "We have not harmed you!" Amélie shudderingly grasped the captain's arm. "Have mercy on them!" she said. "It cannot be," he answered. "At least the child," she insisted. "Hello there!" he called to a sailor. "Cast them a cable and hoist up the boy." "And the others?" A look and gesture from Soliviac answered the I question. The skiff drew nearer and some moments later the child, almost dead with fright, was drawn up to the deck. Amélie gathered him in her arms and covered his face with kisses. "Mamma! mamma!" wailed the little fellow in English. Notwithstanding her natural courage, Amélie took refuge in a heap of cables and clasped the child tightly to her breast. She did not wish to see or hear, but the shrieks of the skiff's inmates sounded on her ears even tho she covered them close.