k bayonets is the best things, sir," replied the corporal.

"Yes," exclaimed Hilary, "if you've got a chance to use them. What do
you say, bo'sun?"

"Well, your honour, it seems as how we shall get into no end of a pickle
if we let these here smugglers capter the _Kestrel_, so I think we'd
best go below and scuttle her. It wouldn't take long."

"Well, but, my good fellow, don't you see that we should be scuttling
ourselves too?" cried Hilary.

"Oh! no, sir, I don't mean scuttle ourselves. I only mean the cutter.
She'd soon fill. We'd go off in the boats."

"How?"

The boatswain did not seem to have taken this into consideration at all,
but stood scratching his head till he scratched out a bright thought.

"Couldn't we let them on deck know as we're going to scuttle her, sir,
and then they'd sheer off, and as soon as they'd sheered off we wouldn't
scuttle her, but only go up and take possession."

"Now, Jack Brown, how can you be such a fool?" cried Hilary,
impatiently. "They're sharp smugglers who have seized the _Kestrel_,
and not a pack of babies. Can't you suggest something better than
that?"

"Well, sir, let's scuttle her, and let them know as she's sinking, and
as soon as they've sheered off stop the leaks."

"Oh! you great bullet-head," cried Hilary angrily. "How could we?"

"Very sorry, sir," growled the man humbly; "I don't know, sir. I can
trim and bend on sails, and overhaul the rigging as well as most
bo'suns, sir, but I never did have no head for figgers."

"Figures!" cried Hilary, impatiently. "There, that'll do. Hark! What
are they doing on deck?"

"Seems to me as if they're getting all sail set," growled the boatswain.

"And they'll run us over to the coast of France," cried Hilary
excitedly. "We shall be prisoners indeed."

He drew his breath in between his teeth, and stamped on the deck in his
impotent rage.

"There!" he said, at last, as the crew stood impatiently awaiting the
result of their consultation. "It's of no use for me to bully you, my
lads, for not giving me ideas, when I can find none myself. You are all
right. We'll try all your plans, for the scoundrels must never sail the
_Kestrel_ into a French port with us on board. Waters, we'll blow up
the hatchway--but the fore-hatchway, not the cabin. Corporal, you and
your lads shall give them a charge with bayonets. And lastly, if both
these plans fail Jack Brown and the carpenter shall scuttle the little
cut