of
such men, and my first business must be to ascertain how many men were
capable of using firearms. I therefore directed the boatswain to call
all hands aft to the quarter-deck, where I addressed them.

"My lads," said I, "your leader's plans, and your own folly in abetting
them, have brought us into perilous waters, as you may see, for the two
junks which are endeavouring to close with us are undoubtedly pirate
craft. Unfortunately, none of us suspected their character until it was
too late; and now we are in a trap from which we can only escape by
fighting. And we must not only fight--we must also beat them off; for,
as I suppose you all know, if we permit ourselves to fall into their
hands, our fate will be similar to that of the unfortunate crew of the
Dutch barque with which we fell in the other day. Now we have here two
dozen muskets, with plenty of ammunition, and also a few rounds for the
six-pounders; so we are not badly off for weapons if we only have men
enough who know how to use them. Let as many of you as know how to use
a musket step to the front. And if any of you know anything about
working guns, step forward too."

Exactly twenty men stepped to the front, sixteen of whom declared that
they could use a musket, while the remaining four announced that they
were capable of loading and firing cannon.

"Very well," said I, "we must all do our utmost; for fight we must.
Those of you who are unable to fight must act as sail-trimmers. Polson
and Tudsbery, you must take charge of the guns. Steward, go below and
tell the emigrants that I want eight volunteers capable of handling
muskets; and they must preferably be single men. Polson, you may serve
out ammunition to the musketry men; and, hark ye, lads, when the time to
shoot arrives, do not blaze away at random, but select a mark, and do
your best to hit it! Now range yourselves along the lee rail, and do
not fire until I give the word."

CHAPTER NINE.

WE BEAT OFF THE PIRATES.

A few minutes later the steward returned from the 'tween-decks, followed
by seven very decent-looking young fellows, who appeared as if they
might have been farm hands, and announced that they knew how to handle a
fowling-piece, and they supposed that a musket was not very greatly
different. To these men muskets and ammunition were accordingly
distributed, and they were put among the seamen stationed along the lee
rail. This left one musket unemployed, at which I