came whistling through the air, in a direct line for the felucca, striking its mainyard about half-way between the mast and the peak of the sail, letting the former down by the

run.

"Human natur' !" ejaculated Ithuel "this is acting up to the contract, dollars and cents! Captain Rule, they shoot better in sport, than when they're in downright airnest." "A man

"This looks like real work," answered Raoul. does not often shoot away the mainyard of his friend, on purpose."

As soon as the crews of the boats saw the end of the yard come down, they ceased rowing, and gave three hearty cheers, taking the signal from Griffin, who stood erect in the stern of the launch, to give it.

"Bah!"-cried Raoul" these are English John Bulls, without a shadow of doubt. Who ever knew the men of the republic shout like so many Italian fantoccini, pulled by wires. Ah! Messieurs les Anglais, you have betrayed your secret by your infernal throats; now look to hear us tell the remainder of the story."

Ithuel rubbed his hands with delight, perfectly satisfied that Raoul could no longer be deceived, though the fire between the felucca and the launch was kept up with spirit, the shooting being such as might have done credit to a bonâ fide conflict. All this time the sweeps of the felucca were plied, the boats advancing at least two feet to the chase's one. La Divina Providenza might now have been three hundred yards from the lugger; and the launch, the nearest of the pursuers, about the same distance astern of the felucca. Ten minutes more would certainly bring the seeming combatants alongside of each other.

Raoul ordered the sweeps of le Feu-Follet to be run out, and manned. At the same time, her guns, twelve-pound carronades, were cast loose, and primed. Of these she had four of a side, while the two sixes on her forecastle were prepared for similar service. When everything was ready, the twelve sweeps dropped into the water, as by a common instinct, and a powerful effort started the lugger ahead. Her jib and jigger were both brailed at that instant. single minute sufficed to teach Wirchester how hopeless

A

pursuit would be in the felucca, if not in the boats them. selves, should the lugger endeavour to escape in this manner; it being quite practicable for her strong crew to force her through the water, by means of her sweeps alone, from three to three and a half knots in the hour. But flight did not appear to be her object; for her head was laid towards la Divina Providenza, as if, deceived by the artifice of the English, she intended to prevent the capture of the felucca, and to cover a friend.

Raoul, however, understood himself far better than this supposition would give reason to suppose. He swept the lugger up in a line with la Divina Providenza and the boats, in the first place, as the position in which she would be the least likely to suffer from the fire of the latter; well knowing that whatever shot were thrown, were purposely sent so high as to do no mischief; and, in the second place, that he might bring his enemies in a single range from his own guns. In the meanwhile, the felucca and the boats not only continued to use their carronades, but they commenced on both sides a brisk fire of musketry; the former being now distant only a hundred yards from le Feu-Follet, exceedingly hard pressed by her adversaries, so far as appearances were concerned. There being no wind at all, at this juncture, the little there had been having been entirely killed by the concussions of the guns, the sea was getting to be fast covered with smoke; the felucca, in particular, showing more than common of the wreathy canopy, over her decks, and about her spars; for, in truth, powder was burnt in considerable quantities, in different parts of the vessel, with this express object. Ithuel observed, too, that in the midst of this confusion and cloud, the crew of la Divina Providenza was increasing in numbers, instead of diminishing by the combat, four sweeps next being out, each manned by three men, while near twenty more were shortly visible, running to and fro, and shouting to each other in a language that was intended to be Italian, but which sounded much more, in his practised ears, like bastard English. The felucca was not fifty yards distant, when this clamour became the loudest ; and the crisis was near. The cheers of the boats on the other side of her, proclaimed the quick approach of Griffin and his party; the bows of la Divina Providenza having

been laid, in a species of blind haste, directly in a line which would carry her athwart-hawse of le Feu-Follet.

"Mes enfans,”—shouted Raoul—“ soyez calmes--Fire!" The whole of the five guns, loaded heavily with canister, were discharged into the smoke of la Divina Providenza. The shrieks that succeeded, sufficiently proclaimed with what effect. A pause of solemn, wondering silence followed, on the part of the English; and then arose a manly shout, as if, prepared for every contingency, they were resolved to brave the worst. The boats were next seen coming round the bows and stern of the felucca, dashing earnestly at their real enemy, while their two carronades returned the fire, this time loaded and aimed with deadly intent. But it was too late for success. As Griffin, in the launch, came out of ia Divina Providenza's smoke, he saw the lugger's sails all opened, and filled with a dying effort of the southerly air. So light, however, was le Feu-Follet, that a duck could hardly have sailed away more readily from the fowler, than this little craft shot ahead, clearing the smoke, and leaving her pursuers an additional hundred yards behind her. As he air seemed likely to stand long enough to place his party .n extreme jeopardy, under the fire of the French, Winchester promptly ordered the boats to relinquish the pursuit, and o rally around the felucca. This command was reluctantly obeyed, when a moment was given to both sides for delibe

ration.

Le Feu-Follet had sustained no injury worth mentioning; but the English had not less than a dozen men slain or hurt. Among the latter was Winchester, himself; and as he saw that any success which followed would fall principally to the share of his subordinate, his wound greatly indisposed him to pursue any further a struggle that was nearly hopeless, as it was. Not so with Raoul Yvard, however. Perceiving that the frigate had taken the breeze, as well as himself, and that she was stealing along in the direction of the combatants, he determined to take an ample revenge for the audacity of the attempt, and then proceed on his voyage.

The lugger accordingly tacked, and passed to windward. of the felucca, delivering a close and brisk fire as she approached. At first this fire was returned, but the opposition soon ceased; and when le Feu-Follet ranged up past her

adversary, a few yards to windward, it was seen that the English had deserted her to a man, carrying off their wounded. The boats were pulling through the smoke, towards the bay, taking a direction opposite to that in which the lugger's head was laid. It would have been easy for the French to ware, and probably to have overtaken the fugitives, sinking or capturing them to a man ; but there was a touch of high chivalry in the character of Raoul Yvard, and he declared, that as the artifice had been ingeniously planned, and daringly_attempted, he would follow up his success no farther. Perhaps the appearance of Ghita on deck, imploring him to be merciful, had its influence; it is certain that not another shot did he allow to be fired at the enemy. Instead of pursuing her advantage, in this manner, the lugger took in her after-sails, wore short round on her heel, came to the wind to-leeward of the felucca, shivered all forward, set her jigger again, and luffed up so near what may be called the prize, that the two vessels came together so gently as not to break an egg, as it is termed. A single rope secured the felucca to the lugger, and Raoul, Ithuel, and a few more, stepped on board the former.

The decks of la Divina Providenza were reeking with blood; and grape and canister were sticking in handsful, in different parts of the vessel. Three dead bodies were found in her hold, but nothing having life was met with on board. There was a tar-bucket filled at hand, and this was placed beneath the hatch, covered with all the combustible materials that could be laid hold of, and set on fire. So active were the flames, at that dry season, that Raoul regretted he had not taken the precaution to awaken them after he had removed his own vessel; but the southerly air continuing, he was enabled to get to a safe distance before they actually ascended the felucca's rigging, and seized upon her sails.

Ten minutes were thus lost, and they had sufficed to carry the boats out of gun-shot, in-shore, and to bring the frigate very nearly down within gun-shot from the south-east. But, hauling aft all his sheets, Raoul soon took the lugger clear of her flaming prize; and then she stood towards the west end of Elba, going, as usual, in so light an air, three feet to the frigate's two. The hour, however, was not favourable to the continuance of the breeze, and in ten more minutes it

would have puzzled the keenest senses to have detected the slightest current of air over the surface of the sea. Such flickerings of the lamp, before it burnt entirely out, were common, and Raoul felt certain that there would be no more wind that day, until they got the zephyr. Accordingly, he directed all the sails to be hauled up, an awning to be spread over the quarter-deck, and permission was given to the people to attend to their own affairs. The frigate, too seemed to be aware that it was the moment for the siesta of vessels, as well as of men; for she clewed up her royals and top-gallant-sails, brailed her jib and spanker, hauled up her courses, and lay on the water as motionless as if sticking on a shoal. The two vessels were barely long-gun shot apart, and, under ordinary circumstances, the larger might have seen fit to attack the smaller in boats; but the lesson just given was a sufficient pledge to the French, against the renewal of any such attempt, and they scarcely paid their neighbour's prowess the compliment to watch him. Halfan-hour later, when Winchester got back to the ship, limping with a hurt in his leg, and with his people exhausted and mortified, it was found that the undertaking had cost the lives of seven good men, besides the temporary suspension of the services of fifteen more.

Captain Cuffe was aware that his enterprise had failed, as soon as he perceived the lugger under her canvass, playing around the felucca and the boats, held in perfect command. But, when he discovered the latter pulling for the shore, he was certain that they must have suffered, and he was prepared to learn a serious loss, though not one that bore so large a proportion to the whole numbers of the party sent on the expedition. Winchester he considerately declined questioning, while his wound was being dressed; but Griffin was summoned to his cabin, as soon as the boats were hoisted in and stowed.

"Well, Mr. Griffin, a d- -d pretty scrape is this, into which you have led me, among you, with your wish to go boating about after luggers, and Raoul Yvards! What will the admiral say, when he comes to hear of twenty-two men's being laid on the shelf, and a felucca to be paid for, as a morning's amusement?"

'Really, Captain Cuffe, we did our best; but a man might