I suppose he picked up a couple of small guns at Ostend, thinking that they might be useful to him in these waters." A splattering fire of musketry now broke out from the brigantine.
They had lessened their distance by half when they saw the brigantine, without apparent cause, heel over.

Farther and farther she went until her lee rail was under water.
The firing instantly ceased, and there were loud shouts on board; then, as she came up into the wind, the square yards were let fall, and the crew ran up the ratlines to secure the sails.

Simultaneously the foresail came down, then her head payed off again, and she darted away like an arrow from the boats.
These, however, had ceased rowing.

Frank, as he saw the brigantine bowing over, had shouted to Purvis to put the boat's head to the wind, doing the same himself.

A few seconds afterwards the squall struck them with such force that some of the oars were wrenched from the hands of the men, who were unprepared for the attack.
"Steady, men, steady!" Frank shouted.