ficer in you, though I
don't think the roistering crew Medley saw will attempt to make their
way to-night thus far from their camp."

When I again sat down the captain told the last of his stories for the
night, and Mary sang another song; but scarcely had her sweet notes died
away than Pepper's rough voice was heard shouting, "Who go dere! Stop
or shoot!"

"Who says that?" exclaimed an English voice, though as gruff as the
black's.

"I say dat," cried Salt, who was at some distance from his companion.
"Take care--I see you."

I guessed that the Kroomen, favoured by the colour of their skins, had
concealed themselves, so that the intruders were puzzled as to their
whereabouts, and afraid to approach. Medley and I hurried out of the
tent, and calling up the seamen, who followed us with their muskets,
went to where the Kroomen were posted. The ground rising slightly, we
could see several dark figures in front of us against the sky moving
about, but I doubted whether they could make us out. If the pirates,
for such we had good reason to suppose they were, had expected to take
us by surprise they were disappointed. Our men cocked their muskets
with loud clicks, which might easily have been heard by them. We waited
in silence to see what they would do, but they seemed undecided.
Presently we were joined by Captain Bland.

"What is it you want here, my men?" he shouted. "We can receive no
visitors to-night. To-morrow morning if you come back we will hear what
you have to say."

The pirates must have guessed who spoke to them, for one of them
immediately answered, "Just listen, captain; we want some bread and rum,
and salted pork, and a supply of powder and lead, with some shot, and a
few other things. We wish to be moderate, but the things we must have
to-morrow morning as soon as you can send on board for them if you
haven't brought enough on shore."

"As to that I can make no promise, so goodnight to you, men," said the
captain, in a firm tone.

The strangers made no reply, but we could hear them talking among
themselves. Presently one of them shouted, "We must take what we want!"
and the whole gang, numbering three times as many as our party, uttering
savage shouts, came rushing on, till, when they were within twenty yards
of us, the Kroomen, without waiting for orders, fired at them. They, on
this, hesitated for a moment, and then there came a random volley from
muskets and pistols, the shots whistli