Barnstable anticipated her intention and well understood her
commander's reason for adopting this course; but he was not a man to
calculate coolly his advantages, when pride and daring invited him to a
more severe trial. Accordingly, he met the enemy half-way, and, as the
vessels rushed together, the stern of the schooner was secured to the
bows of the cutter, by the joint efforts of both parties. The voice of
the English commander was now plainly to be heard, in the uproar,
calling to his men to follow him.
"Away there, boarders! repel boarders on the starboard quarter!" shouted
Barnstable, through his trumpet.
This was the last order that the gallant young sailor gave with this
instrument; for, as he spoke, he cast it from him, and, seizing his
sabre, flew to the spot where the enemy was about to make his most
desperate effort. The shouts, execrations, and tauntings of the
combatants, now succeeded to the roar of the cannon, which could be used
no longer with effect, though the fight was still maintained with
spirited discharges of the small-arms.
"Sweep him from his decks!" cried the English commander, as he appeared
on his own bulwarks, surrounded by a dozen of his bravest men; "drive
the rebellious dogs into the sea!"
"Away there, marines!" retorted Barnstable, firing his pistol at the
advancing enemy; "leave not a man of them to sup his grog again."
The tremendous and close volley that succeeded this order nearly
accomplished the command of Barnstable to the letter, and the commander
of the Alacrity, perceiving that he stood alone, reluctantly fell back
on the deck of his own vessel, in order to bring on his men once more.
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