the crew had
communication with the land and brought off all sorts of provisions, by
which they benefited.

Once more the fleet, consisting of about a dozen junks, put to sea. The
next morning it was almost a calm; and as daylight came on a brig was
seen, apparently a merchantman, with her foremast gone and otherwise
much disabled. There could be little doubt that she had got into her
present condition from having encountered one of those partial squalls
which occasionally occur in those seas. A long consultation was held
among the captains of the pirate fleet, in which the crews as well as
the officers took considerable part. There was an immense amount of
talking and gesticulation, and flourishing of creeses, and daggers, and
swords, and various other weapons; and at last the sweeps were got out,
and the junks began to move in a body towards the devoted brig. Jack
asked Jos, the Malay, what the Chinamen were about to do.

"Cut de troat of ebery moder's son of dem, take de cargo, and burn de
brig, den no one get away to tell news," was the answer.

"Kind and pleasant intentions, but what do they think we shall do?"
observed Jack. "I don't like the look of affairs. They will be for
cutting our throats, to prevent our giving an account of their doings."

"Perhaps the Malay is mistaken," answered Murray. "They may not intend
to murder the people; or if they do, they will keep us shut up in the
cabin while the operation is going forward, or they will make us swear
before they set us at liberty not to give information. I have no fears
about our safety."

"Nor have I in reality," said Jack; "but I wish that we could render
some assistance to the poor people on board the brig. We might warn
them of the fate intended for them; but even if we got Jos and
Hoddidoddi to stand by us, I am afraid we could not do much in the way
of fighting."

"I am afraid not, indeed," said Murray; "we must be prepared for any
emergency. It is impossible to say what will occur."

"I like the feeling," said Jack. "I wish that we were on board the brig
though, we would have a fight for it. But we are drawing near. Had the
pirates intended much mischief they would have sent us into our cabin, I
suspect."

The pirate junks had now completely hemmed in the helpless brig. She
was American, for just then the stars and stripes of the United States
flew out from her peak. Two men, apparently the captain and his mate,
were seen to c