Bill stumbled upon an axe, and with a single blow severed the cable, when instantaneously the lugger, in the strong tide and wind, swung round. By great good fortune, and the carelessness of those on shore, drinking and carousing, the only craft that could have pursued them with a chance of success had just taken the ground, and was hard and fast, when the men, alarmed by the sound of the bow-gun, rushed down to their boats. It was a dark night, with a strong land wind, and a fast ebb tide. Lieutenant Thornton could hear the splash of oars in boats passing; so lashing the heavy tiller amidship, he hastened forward to see if he and Bill could run up the immense fore-lug. There was a Spanish windlass attached to the mast; so taking a turn of the haulyards, they put their whole strength to it, and ran it up, perspiring with the effort. Making fast the sheet-blocks, our hero ran aft, just as the foremost boat, finding they began to lose ground, the moment the lug filled, fired their muskets into the lugger, but with no further result than knocking a few splinters out of the bulwarks. “I wish I could give you a dose of grape, you beggars!” exclaimed Bill, shaking his clenched hand at the boats, now dropping astern fast. The reports of the guns evidently aroused the attention of the forts on the north shore, for our successful adventurers beheld lights moving along the front of the battery; but as it was impossible for those on the battery to know what was the cause of the firing, and the darkness of the night rendering the lugger almost imperceptible, she ran past unsuspected. Bill Saunders, with our hero’s help, set the mizen, and under these two sails the Vengeance ran out rapidly into the outer road. They did not expect to see the Diamond at anchor after the events of the day, but fully expected, as they ran off the land and daylight came, to see her either lying to or standing off and on. “What shall I do with the two vagabonds forward?” questioned Bill, coming aft to take the tiller; “one is dead, and the other has an ugly clip over the left eye. Your honour hits hard; I seed him catch it as he drove his boarding pike at your breast. There are two others below; I can work these lubbers on deck and make them lend a hand.” “Let us run three or four miles out, Bill; we can then lie to for daylight. You can, however, put the dead man overboard, and we will see what we can do for the one that is wounded. Just go and see if you can find a lantern. I should be glad if you could also lay your hand upon something stronger than water. I have lost some blood and feel a little fagged; nothing to signify though.” “We want to splice the main brace, your honour, after our scrimmage, and mayhap I may find a keg of brandy;” and Bill dived down below, and after a good search found plenty of wine and some brandy in the steward’s lockers, besides three or four days’ provisions.