able to keep them from boarding, even in the event of their
overtaking us; and, in any case, I think it will be advisable to have up
on deck and load a few of those rifles from the arm-chest, for having
gone so far it will never do now for us to allow ourselves to be taken.
Get the keys of the arm-chest and magazine, Joe, and bring up a couple
of dozen rifles and a few packets of cartridges."

The rifles were brought on deck and loaded carefully, half of them being
stacked in the waist of the ship, whilst the other half, with a liberal
supply of ammunition, were taken up on the poop.

By the time that this was done the ship had reached the passage between
the bluffs, and as soon as she was fairly through Ned kept away dead
before the wind for the mouth of the "Narrows," as the contracted
entrance channel was called. The ship being under fore-and-aft canvas
only, this alteration in her course was a disadvantage rather than
otherwise, the staysails refusing to stand properly; moreover the high
land was now once more close aboard of them on both quarters, rendering
the wind light and shifty, in consequence of which the ship lost way
perceptibly. Ned became increasingly anxious; so much so, indeed, that
he resolved to get more canvas upon the ship, and running out to the
flying-jib-boom he loosed the flying-jib, set it with Price's
assistance, and then went aft and set the mizen-topmast staysail--a very
large sail, reaching from the mizen-topmast head down to within twelve
feet of the main deck. This addition to the amount of canvas spread had
an immediately perceptible effect; and going aft to the taffrail, and
from thence watching the approach of the boats, Ned believed he should
be fairly in the Narrows before the gig reached him.

The ship was fully half-way across the outer basin when the gig--the
leading boat--opened fire upon her. The weapon employed was evidently a
rifle, for though the boat was half a mile astern Ned distinctly heard
the whistle of the bullet overhead, showing not only that they were well
within the range of the piece, but also that it had been skilfully and
steadily aimed, a circumstance which led him to conjecture that
Williams, probably the only perfectly sober man in the entire crew, must
be in charge of the boat. The ship being thus proved to be within
range, Ned now took the wheel himself, sending Sibylla below to the
saloon, with instructions not to venture from thence out on deck unt