CHAPTER IX.

A BRUSH WITH THE ENEMY.

When the _Lively Bee_ parted company with the _Essex_, Captain Vernon began to put her in fighting trim.

"Always be ready, is my maxim," he said to Tempest.

"But surely you do not expect----"

"To meet the enemy? I never expect anything else."

"But we are disabled."

"All the more reason why we may be attacked by the enemy. Our disabled condition invites it."

So the preparations proceeded, and there was not a man on the _Lively Bee_ but hoped a chance of a fight would be offered.

And their wish was gratified.

On the morning of the second day a frigate flying the British flag hove in sight.

"She is too big for us to tackle," said Tempest.

"Yes, but----" and Captain Vernon walked to and fro for a few minutes without finishing his sentence.

Tempest knew him well now, and awaited his pleasure.

"But it is a question of take or be taken. We can't run from that frigate, with our present rig, and I don't want to be taken prisoner."

"Neither do I. But what can we do?"

"Prove that we have spunk."

"I am with you, sir--ay, to the death."

"Well spoken, Tempest. I'd rather have a man like you on board than a whole regiment of other men."

The _Lively Bee_ was lying much closer to the wind than the Britisher.

The frigate, when first seen, was about two miles off, and had the _Lively Bee_ been in as good trim as when she left New York, no vessel afloat could have overtaken her.

"I know her, captain."

"Do you? Well, who and what is she?" asked Vernon.

"The _Peacock_, a thirty-two gunner," answered Tempest.

"Then we have no chance but in flight."

"None whatever."

"And we cannot outsail her," continued Vernon perversely.

"No, sir."

"Yet we will not be taken--at least not alive."

There was a determination in the conduct of the privateersman which endeared him to his crew.

Had he ordered each man to shoot himself, no one would have hesitated.

They gave their captain the most explicit obedience.

The _Peacock_ drew nearer and challenged the _Lively Bee_ to show its colors.

"You shall have them. Up with the flag of the free, boys!"

And the Stars and Stripes was run up the halliards, while a ringing cheer burst from the crew of the privateer.

The Union Jack of England was soon run up in answer, and followed by a shot.

The cannon ball fell wide of the mark and a sarcastic cheer was borne over the water to the _Peacock_.

A broadside was fired at the _Lively Bee_, but again only an upheaval of the water was the result.

"Can you cripple her, Tempest?" asked the captain.

"I think so, sir."

The _Lively Bee_ suddenly threw her bow up into the wind, and after a short pause, fired her long gun.

The captain of the privateer watched, through his glass, and saw the shot skim over the water and strike the _Peacock_ square in the hull, entering near the bow and raking the deck diagonally.

The Britisher did not answer, but kept on, crowding all sail, and hoping to overtake the _Lively Bee_ and blow her out of the water.

Once again the long gun was fired, but little damage was done, and the British ship answered with a broadside.

"Captain, I can cripple her next time, I think."

"Do so, at all hazards."

The Britisher was nearing her prey.

The privateer could not hold her own under the circumstances.

The frigate sailed faster than the _Lively Bee_, but, not keeping a course so close to the wind, was constantly obliged to tack, in order to keep near enough to use her guns on the smaller vessel.

Tempest walked up to Vernon and put out his hand.

The captain grasped it.

There was a meaning in that handshake.

Each knew that if the next shot did not strike the _Peacock_ there was but little chance for the _Lively Bee_.

Lieutenant John Tempest saw that the gun was loaded.

The little privateer luffed, and the long gun was fired.

The shot struck just where it was intended it should.

That shot brought down the foretopmast of the _Peacock_ with the immediate result of throwing her up into the wind to repair damages.

"Now, clap on all sail, for it is our only chance," cried Vernon, and the _Lively Bee_ began to make better headway.

They could see the _Peacock_ black with men, and saw that the wreck of the foretopmast was cleared away in a comparatively short space of time.

"Now, boys," said Vernon, "the chase has commenced. Hurrah for the _Lively Bee_!"

The men cheered lustily, and feared not the British frigate, for they had obtained a good start.

Suddenly the heavy boom of a gun startled the crew of the _Lively Bee_.

On the starboard side loomed up a man-of-war, from whose gaff there floated the Stars and Stripes.

The _Peacock_ shivered from bow to stern as the shot raked her deck, and she knew she was powerless, for her guns would not reach as far.

"Who is she?" asked Tempest.

Captain Vernon looked through his glass at the newcomer, and a loud, ringing cheer burst from the crew of the _Lively Bee_, as he spelled out the word:

"_C-o-n-s-t-i-t-u-t-i-o-n._"

"The _Peacock_ will lose its tail," said Scarron.

"We shall see some fun," added Mr. Webster.

And the _Lively Bee_ saluted the big war ship, and awaited further developments.

The _Peacock_, finding itself too far away from the _Constitution_, fired a broadside at the privateer, which had allowed itself to get within range.

The shots tore up a portion of the deck, and a splinter struck Vernon on the shoulder, ploughing a furrow through his flesh.

Tempest applied the match to his long gun again, and as the shot flew through the air, he prayed it might disable the Britisher.

A cry of distress was plainly heard from the _Peacock_, and later it was known that the captain and four of his men had been killed by that shot.

The senior officer turned the ship about, and instead of being the pursuer was now the pursued.

The men on the _Constitution_ cheered the little privateer, and the salute was warmly responded to by our friends.