about Bob's age he must be--well, I'm
glad my boy's got company! Let's get to work aboard here now."

Job fell to with a good will helping the _Indian Queen's_ crew get her
ready for an encounter with the pirates. She carried only two light
serpentine cannon of an ancient make, far below the standard necessary
to combat a well-armed schooner like the _Royal James_. There were no
other ships in the harbor carrying guns, however, and it was over the
matter of procuring an armament that Curtis had had words with the
Governor. There were six good culverins mounted in the fort below the
town. The planter had wished to borrow them to fit out his vessel,
urging that it was a matter of concern to the whole colony. To this the
Governor replied that with the port stripped of defences it would be
possible for a pirate fleet to enter and plunder without difficulty,
while Curtis's ship was careering over the seven seas on a wild-goose
chase. Naturally the personal element in the affair blinded Curtis to
the truth in this argument. However, with the advent of Job Howland and
the news he bore, all differences were forgotten. The planter and
ship-owner now needed thorough, rather than hurried, preparation. He
sent his overseer on horseback to Philadelphia to arrange for the
purchase of guns, and put all the available carpenters and shipwrights
to work on the _Queen_, strengthening the improvised gun decks and
cutting the rows of ports.

The northeast gale that sprang up next day put a temporary stop to these
activities and gave Job an opportunity to get himself some decent
clothes and hobnob a while with his friend the Swede. The whole
waterfront was agog with the news of the kidnapping, and everywhere the
tall New Englander went he was surrounded by a knot of questioning
seamen. Several coasting-skippers, whose vessels lay ready-loaded at the
wharves, decided to put off sailing until some news should indicate that
the Bay was clear.

When the storm had blown itself out the artisans again set to work on
the big East Indiaman. Job, who had learned the science of gunnery under
good masters, supervised the placing of every porthole with reference to
ease and safety in firing as well as to the effectiveness of a
broadside. He had a section of the deck forward of the capstan
reinforced stoutly to bear the weight of a bow-chaser, on which he
placed some dependence in case of a running fight.

It was about six days later, in the first wee