on, and the singer forward at
once began another song. For a quarter of an hour they could hear the
sound of the oars growing fainter and fainter, then it ceased.

"They have rowed straight on till they think they are out of hearing,"
Wilkinson said. "Now they will make a circuit and go back to their
friends with the news. There is no doubt we are in luck if we get a
brush with them the first night after our arrival on our cruising
ground."

About three o'clock in the morning a confused sound could be heard. In
two or three minutes every man was at his post.

"There are only two, or at most three of them," Edgar said, in a tone of
disappointment, "and I doubt whether they are not big rowing-boats. The
strokes are too quick for either sweeps or for boats towing. What a
beastly nuisance! I suppose when these fellows took back the report,
that though we were a good-sized brig we did not seem to have many
hands, they thought that it was not worth while to tow out a big craft
when row-boats would do. They think that with twelve or fifteen hands in
each boat, and the advantage of surprise, they would be able to
overpower us at once."

"The surprise will be the other way," Wilkinson said angrily. "We shall
send them all three to the bottom at the first broadside."

"I don't think I should do that, Wilkinson; for, if you do, there is an
end of our chance of capturing any of their larger craft."

"Of course I see that; that is the annoying part of the business. What
do you propose, then?"

"I should say that the best plan would be, not to hail them until they
get close on board, then for a man forward to give a sudden shout, as if
he had been asleep on his watch and had only just heard them. Then they
will come tumbling on board, thinking that the ship is already theirs.
We might divide our men, and keep them half forward and half aft. The
moment they all get on board, rush down upon them. Tell off six men,
with orders to jump down into their boats as soon as they can, and to
push them off, so as to cut off their retreat. The boats will be very
useful to us, for we can tow the brig in with them. The people in there
will think that she has been captured, and we shall get right in the
middle of them before they find out that they have caught a tartar."

"By Jove, that is a first-rate idea!"

To their surprise, the men were at once called away from their guns and
divided into two parties. Edgar and the boatswain commanded