Read The Cruise of the Lively Bee; Or, A Boy's Adventures in the War of 1812 Page 17

  CHAPTER XV.

  THE WASP'S STING.

  "Like the fierce bird of Jove the Wasp darted forth, And he the tale told, with amazement and wonder. She hurled on the foe from her flame-spreading arms The firebands of death and the red bolts of thunder."

  Captain Jacob Jones was one of the proudest men in the American navy;his pride had good foundation, for he had served in the war withTripoli and had been a captive among the barbarians of Northern Africa.

  When he left the Delaware in command of the U. S. ship _Wasp_, to fightthe British, he determined that his vessel should be as great a tormentto the enemy as the insect after which she was named was to people onshore.

  After a few days' cruising he fell in with the _Lively Bee_, andlearned that the _Frolic_ and _Poietiers_ were cruising about in thewaters nearby.

  Not long after a bunch of sails was sighted at some distance.

  The most careful examination failed to reveal the character of thestrangers.

  Jones was filled with curiosity.

  He drew nearer the strange ships and reconnoitered.

  The wind was blowing great guns, and a heavy sea was running.

  Only the day before, the _Wasp_ had lost her jibboom, with two sailorswho were upon it.

  The American seemed thoroughly at home in a storm.

  His whole soul was in his work, and he cared not for wind or hurricane.

  As he drew near, he saw that the strangers were merchantmen, under theprotection of an English man-of-war.

  The merchantmen were well armed, some carrying as many as twelve guns.

  Jones knew it would be suicidal folly to attack all at once, so he kepton a course parallel with the Englishman all that day and through thenight.

  Early the next morning the Britisher saw the American, and showed histeeth.

  The Jackies were at work on both vessels, repairing the damages causedby the storm.

  The _Wasp_ ran up the Stars and Stripes.

  It was a defiance.

  But the Englishman answered by running a Spanish flag up the halliards.

  Jones was not deceived, for he knew the frigate to be the _Frolic_, andthe foe was worthy of his steel.

  The ships drew near each other.

  The sea was rough, the wind high, and both captains were confident thatbefore an hour had passed one ship would have to strike its flag.

  When less than sixty yards away, and both running on the starboardtack, the action commenced.

  Broadsides were exchanged, the _Frolic_ firing three to the _Wasp's_two.

  Great clouds of spray washed over the bows; waves, each one seeminghigher than the last, swept over the forecastle, drenching the sailorsas they stood at their quarters.

  As the broadsides thundered forth the sailors cheered as they saw thedamage done by the fire.

  The vessels were tossed about like corks, now wallowing in the troughof the sea, now and again tossed high on the crest of some giganticwave.

  It seemed marvelous that any damage could be done by the broadsides,for at one moment the guns would be pointed at the clouds, and the nextsubmerged beneath the billowy waves.

  The two boats were well matched, the gunners equally accurate.

  Before five minutes had passed the main topmast of the _Wasp_ was shotaway and hung tangled in the rigging.

  The topmen, commanded by skillful middies, tried in vain to clear awaythe wreck.

  The Britishers cheered, and sang "God Save the King!"

  The Americans, though getting the worst of the fight, shouted out thechorus of "Yankee Doodle."

  But when the third broadside fired by the _Frolic_ tore away the_Wasp's_ gaff and main topgallant mast, it looked as though Jones wouldlose the battle, and have to strike his flag.

  Not far away the _Lively Bee_ was watching the encounter.

  The privateer did not wish to interfere unless the _Wasp_ was in actualdanger, for Captain Vernon had his eyes on one of the merchantmen,which he hoped to secure as a prize.

  To an onlooker it appeared that the British had received no damage.

  The _Frolic_ fired when on the crest of the wave and thus tore away itsadversary's rigging, while the _Wasp_ waited until in the trough of thesea.

  The American's shot was aimed at the hull instead of the rigging.

  While the fight was raging the two vessels got close together andfouled.

  Yardarm laid to yardarm, and at that very moment the Americans pouredin a terrific broadside.

  The guns were not half loaded, for so close were the vessels that inloading the rammers were shoved right against the side of the _Frolic_.

  The men grew almost frantic with excitement.

  They shouted and sang, they cursed the Britishers, and reviled theUnion Jack.

  The gunners of the _Frolic_ had no time to return the last broadside,for their ship swung around so that her bow lay against the _Wasp's_quarter.

  "Give 'em a volley!" cried Captain Jones as he just escaped losing hishead from the swinging of the _Frolic's_ bowsprit over the quarterdeck.

  Not only one, but a second volley was fired, and the deck of the enemyseemed to be swept clean.

  Then the Americans shouted and cheered.

  "Let us board her!" they cried.

  The order was given, and the men swarmed aboard.

  It was by no means a bloodless encounter, for the contestants foughtlike demons, and many a brave sailor breathed his last on that heavingdeck.

  But the Britishers could not stem the onrush of Americans, and beforelong the Union Jack was struck and the _Frolic_ captured.

  Hardly had a prize crew in charge of Lieutenant Biddle been placedaboard of her, when the man on the lookout sang out:

  "The _Poietiers_ is close at hand, and she is heavily armed."

  And even as he spoke the heavy boom of a gun was heard.

  The _Poietiers_ had signaled the _Wasp_ to lay to.

  The _Poietiers_ carried seventy-four guns, and was a formidable enemy.

  Her great hull seemed to cast a shadow over the water, and thejubilation of the Americans was hushed in the solemnity of the comingcontest.