ant, a heavy gun does not come quite so quickly up to
the shoulder, for a snap shot."

"Now, Peters," Charlie said, "you take the double barrel. I will use
the rifle. Mine will come into play first, but, as my uncle said when
he gave it me, yours will do most execution at close quarters."

At dusk the schooners, having exchanged some signals by flags, took up
their positions, one on each quarter of the ship, at a distance of
some two miles.

"Do not you think," Charlie asked his friend the doctor, "that they
are likely to try and board us tonight?"

"No," the doctor said. "These privateers generally depend upon their
long guns. They know that we shall be on the watch all night, and
that, in a hand-to-hand fight, they would lose a considerable number
of men; while by keeping at a distance, and maintaining a fire with
their long guns, they rely upon crippling their opponents; and then,
ranging up under their stern, pouring in a fire at close quarters
until they surrender.

"Another thing is that they prefer daylight, as they can then see
whether any other vessel is approaching. Were one of our cruisers to
hear a cannonade in the night, she would come down and take them
unaware. No, I think you will see that at daylight, if the coast is
clear, they will begin."

Such was evidently the captain's opinion also, as he ordered sail to
be still further shortened, and all, save the watch on deck, to turn
in at once. The lights were all extinguished, not that the captain had
any idea of evading his pursuers, but that he wished to avoid offering
them a mark for their fire, should they approach in the darkness.

Chapter 3: A Brush With Privateers.

The night passed quietly. Once or twice lights were seen, as the
schooners showed a lantern for a moment to notify their exact position
to each other.

As soon as dawn broke, every man on board the Lizzie Anderson was at
his post. The schooners had drawn up a little, but were still under
easy sail. The moment that the day grew clear enough for it to be
perceived that no other sail could be seen above the horizon, fresh
sail was spread upon the schooners, and they began rapidly to draw up.

On the previous evening the four heavy guns had been brought aft, and
the Indiaman could have made a long running fight with her opponents,
had the captain been disposed. To this, however, he objected strongly,
as his vessel was sure to be hulled and knocked about severely, and
perhap