used them most vehemently; but they listened to him with perfect
unconcern, while Cobb, and Clink, and their companions, backed them up
in their mutinous conduct. Our imperfect preparations, such as they
were, had hardly been completed, when the pirate's boats dashed
alongside.

"Don't fire till I give the order!" shouted the captain; but he did not
speak in time, and several of the passengers and crew discharged their
muskets at the boats. No one was hit that I could see, and the pirates
shouted and shrieked in return as they began to scramble up the sides.
They were bravely opposed aft, and pistols were fired in their faces,
and pikes plunged at them, so that numbers were hurled back into their
boats; but, to my dismay, I saw a band of them beginning to clamber up
about the forechains, where Cobb and his associates had posted
themselves. I shouted to the seamen to drive them back, but instead of
doing so, they only laughed, and, putting out their hands, welcomed the
strangers on board. Mr Henley had been so busily engaged in defending
the after-part of the ship, that he did not see what was occurring. I
shouted to him to call his attention to the circumstance. He instantly,
collecting around him all the men who were disengaged, made a rush at
the pirates; but so many had gained a footing, that the rest had no
difficulty in clambering up, and, notwithstanding his desperate
onslaught, he could make no impression on them, but was compelled to
retire with a wound in his sword arm, several of the rest being also
much hurt. I was by his side, using a cutlass to some effect. I had
learned the broadsword exercise at school, and was considered a
first-rate hand at single-stick. It gave me a wonderful confidence in
the _melee_, which I should not otherwise have felt. A shot, however
grazed my arm. At that instant a big mulatto made towards me. The pain
I felt caused me to drop my arm for an instant, and my antagonist would
certainly have cut me down, had not my faithful Solon, who had been
keeping at my heels, rushed in, and, with his usual tactics, bit the
mulatto's legs so severely, that he had to try and drive off his new
opponent. I sprang back, and Solon, seeing that I was safe, beat his
retreat before the fellow had time to strike him. Tyrannical and cruel
as the captain and first mate were, they proved themselves very far from
being brave in the hour of danger. The pirates, having made good their
footing o