"Ay, ay, sir," they cried, set
their backs to their oars, and through the broad light that still shone
upon the waves, and among the thick crowd of weltering shadows, the
launch shot like a dart to the side of the foe.
"Easy all! Throw a grapple on board," cried the young commander; and as
the stern swung round he leaped from it, and over the shallow bulwarks,
and stood all alone on the enemy's fore-deck. And alone he remained, for
at that moment a loud crash was heard, and the launch filled and sank,
with her crew of sixteen plunging wildly in the waves.
This came to pass through no fault of their own, but a clever device
of the enemy. Admiral Lacrosse, being called away, had left his
first officer to see to the safety of the flag-ship and her immediate
neighbours, and this brave man had obtained permission to try a little
plan of his own, if assailed by any adventurous British boats in charge
of the vessels explosive. In the bows of some stout but handy boats he
had rigged up a mast with a long spar attached, and by means of a guy at
the end of that spar, a brace of heavy chain-shot could be swung up and
pitched headlong into any boat alongside. While the crew of Scudamore's
launch were intent upon boarding the prame, one of these boats came
swiftly from under her stern, and with one fling swamped the enemy. Then
the Frenchmen laughed heartily, and offered oars and buoys for the poor
British seamen to come up as prisoners.
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