he had seized his rifle from the cabin, and sent a shot back
at them in return.

"Oh, sir, there was no use doing that; you will only the more anger
those wicked men," said Captain Stone, quite calmly.

"No, no; let's die game," answered Jerry. "We may kill some of our
enemies before they kill us."

"We may kill some of our friends as likely," replied the captain. "If
we could prevent them injuring us, we might kill them; but as we cannot,
we must patiently wait the result."

The doctor seemed to agree with the captain, so Jerry refrained from
again loading his rifle. The effect, however, of his single shot was
most disastrous, for the pirates, supposing that we were about to show
fight, brought several muskets forward, and opened a hot fire on us. As
the bullets came rattling about our ears, I thought not one of us would
escape. The two poor Sandwich islanders were brought to the deck, one
directly after the other, desperately wounded. The matter was becoming
very serious. I thought that we ought to lower our sails; so did the
doctor, but Captain Stone begged us to keep all standing. "We can't
tell still, sir, but what we may escape. Hold on, hold on," he cried
out. "There is One who watches over us. If it is his will that we are
to be destroyed, his will be done." Scarcely had he uttered these words
of true piety than he suddenly lifted up his arm, letting go the tiller,
and fell to the deck. Jerry ran to the helm. I tried to lift him up,
while the doctor knelt down by his side. "Hold on, hold on, I counsel
you," he whispered, raising his head. "They have done for me. Doctor,
you cannot help me, I feel. It's all right; we were doing our duty. We
know in whom we trust. He is mighty to save our souls alive." With
these words he fell back, giving one look at our pursuer, and urging us
by a sign to hold on our course. The doctor took his hand. After
holding it for a minute, he shook his head. "He's gone," he remarked;
"as brave a man as I ever met, and as true a Christian."

Jerry meantime stood undauntedly at the helm. No sooner, however, had
the captain fallen than the pirates, seeing what had occurred, ceased
firing. They had now got so near, that, had they chosen, they might
have picked every one of us off without difficulty. At last they came
up almost abreast of us.

"Heave to, you young jackanapes, or we will sink you," sung out a man
from forward. The doctor was attending to one o