The order was obeyed, and several shot came crashing into the bows of the schooner.  The pirates were not slow in returning the compliment. Their fury was speedily worked up to the highest pitch.  They laboured away at the guns, shouting and uttering terrific oaths, more like demons than men.  We quickly ranged up alongside, keeping a little further off than we probably should otherwise have done, in the hope of crippling our opponent before attempting to board.  The stranger had evidently many more people on board than the pirates had expected.  They fought their guns well, and bravely too; but the further off we got the less effect had they, showing that they were handled by men without practice; while the pirates, on the other hand, seldom missed their aim.  Thus fiercely engaged--the roar of the guns and the shrieks and cries of the combatants breaking the silence of night, while the flashes lighted up the darkness and revealed the hideous scene--we ran on in the same course as at first.  The effect of the pirates' practice with their guns soon began to tell on the stranger; spar after spar was shot away, and her lofty canvas came dropping down in torn shreds on deck.  The pirates shouted with satisfaction and triumph as each fresh shot told on their opponent.  We consequently had to shorten sail to keep abreast of her. Still, her shot sometimes searched out a pirate as he laboured at his gun, and several lay writhing in agony on the deck, while the voices of others were silenced for ever.  At last down came the fore-mast of the barque, followed by her main-topmast.  She was completely in the power of the pirates, for the schooner could sail round and round her, while her crew were unable to fight their guns, overwhelmed as they were with the wreck of the masts.  The pirates cheered ferociously, and, keeping away, crossed the bows of the barque and fired a broadside right into them.  Shrieks and cries arose from the deck of the stranger, but still no signal was made that she had given in.  On the contrary, as soon as she could get the guns on the port-side to bear, she began firing away again on us.  We tacked, and once more stood towards her, so as to rake her as we passed under her stern.  For a minute there was an entire cessation of firing; none of her guns could be brought to bear on us, and the pirates were reserving their fire to pour it into her with more deadly effect.  Dim and indistinct, we could just make out her hull and shattered rigging amid the gloom; and the pirates, believing that she would quickly be in their power, were calculating on the rich booty which would soon be theirs, when bright flames darted up from the midst of her--a roar like the loudest thunder deafened our ears--up, up flew spars, and rigging, and human forms, and pieces of burning plank-- illuminating the dark ocean far and wide around; while the fire, which burned brightly, lighted up the countenances of the pirates as they stood watching the catastrophe they had caused.  Some gleamed with anger, others with disappointed avarice; some few looked horrified, and a few were pale with terror, lest the same fate were about to be theirs. No attempt was made to save any of those who, escaping from the burning wreck, might be struggling in the waves.  Jerry and I fancied that we could hear some shrieks and cries for help, but they were soon silenced, as the waters closed over the heads of those who were struggling, but struggling in vain.  Uttering a fierce oath, Captain Bruno stamped on the deck, to give vent to his disappointment, and then ordering the helm once more to be put up, stood away on his course to the southward.  Such are pirates, such they have always been, in spite of the veil of romance which has been thrown over their misdeeds.