this place that, should the pirate craft venture into the harbor, she
would be raked by all three in turn. These matters being settled, I
returned to the _Cassandra_ again.

That night I had but little sleep, but was in and out of my cabin
continually. Whenever I was upon the deck I could hear the "click,
click, click" of the capstan aboard the pirate vessel, sounding more
clearly through the dampness of the night than in the daytime. There was
still not a breath of air going, and I thought it likely that the pirate
intended making her way into the harbor that night, but about three
o'clock in the morning the noise of working the capstan ceased, and I
fancied that I heard a sound as of dropping anchor, though I could make
out nothing through the darkness, even with the night-glass.

Nor was I mistaken in my surmise that the pirate craft had come to
anchor, for when the day broke I perceived that she lay between two and
three miles away, just outside of the capes, and directly athwart the
channel, being stayed by warps, broadside on, as we ourselves were in
the harbor, so as to rake any vessel that should endeavor to come out,
as we might rake any that would endeavor to come in.

As this day also was very quiet, with not a breath of wind stirring, I
expected that the pirate would open fire, though at such a long range.
However, this she did not do, but lay there as though watching us, and
as though to hold us where we were until some opportunity or other had
ripened. And so came the night again, with nothing more of note having
happened than the day before.

Ever since we had lain at this spot native canoes (called by the sailors
bumboats) had come from the shore from day to day, laden with fruit and
fresh provisions, which are most delicious, refreshing luxuries after a
prolonged sea-voyage, such as ours had been. That day they had come as
usual, though there was little humor for bartering with them upon such a
serious occasion.

However, I had observed, and not without surprise, that Captain Leach,
though he knew the nature of the pirate craft, and the serious situation
in our affairs, appeared so little affected by the danger which
threatened us that he bought a lot of fresh fruit, as usual, and held a
great deal of conversation with one of the natives, who spoke a sort of
English which he had picked up from our traders.

I had not thought much of this at the time, although, as I had observed
before, it was not