ll our lives dearly, as brave men should do."

He thought this, as he saw the leading Greek boat rapidly gaining on
them, and now little more than two-thirds the distance she had been
before; while they had pulled rather more than a mile from the shore,
which now rose dim and frowning astern of them. At the same rate they
might thus pull two additional miles before they were overtaken; but
then it was utterly impossible that their strength would enable them to
continue urging the boat through the water at the same speed they had
hitherto been doing. Could they indeed do so, it would be, they soon
saw, to little purpose, for every instant the breeze increased, and the
mistico was already up to the sternmost boats. They now saw that she
had her sweeps out, as well as her canvas set--which, of course, still
further lessened their chances of escape.

"I fear the knaves will have the best of it, sir," exclaimed Bowse,
incautiously, forgetting the effect his observation might have upon Ada.
"But, never fear, sir, we'll fight it out as long as we've hands to
move. I'm sure Captain Vassilato and Mr Raby will, and I'll answer for
Pietro and myself."

"Thanks--thanks--my friends; I fear it must come to that," said
Fleetwood. "Raby, have you got the muskets ready? We will give them a
few shot, to show that we do not intend to yield, and at the same time
the report may be heard by our friends."

"Yes, sir; there are three muskets here," replied the midshipman. "I
suppose they are loaded."

"Oh, never fear; Captain Vassilato and I examined them after we got down
to the boat, and we loaded them on board the mistico," said Bowse.
"Take a steady aim when you fire, sir. If you can but hit one or two of
the men at the oars, it will throw them into great confusion."

"Shall I fire, sir?" asked Jack of his captain.

"No, wait till they get nearer; we must not throw a shot away," was the
answer.

Ada had heard, with the most intense anxiety, all the observations which
had been made, and she could resist speaking no longer, which she did,
in a voice weak and trembling with agitation and alarm.

"Oh, Fleetwood, I implore you, do not, for my sake, resist," she said.
"The pirates must inevitably overpower us, from what I hear; and you can
do no good by fighting, but will certainly sacrifice your own life and
that of your friends. Yield, without striking a blow, and they will not
injure you; and you will surely find another op