up a number of lumps of gunpowder
and sulphur, and place them about the deck before each of us. As soon
as the rover ranges up alongside, we'll fire them all at the same
moment, and I shall be very much mistaken if the cut-throats don't think
that there's a company on board they would rather not have anything to
do with."

I could not help laughing at Peter's quaint notion--still, however
little effect it might have on civilised people, I thought it was very
likely to scare away the sort of men who composed the Moorish crew, and
I advised him instantly to propose it to the captain. Peter,
accordingly, bolting his dinner with a haste which showed that he was
thinking more about his idea than it, went aft, and opened up the case.
Captain Gale listened more attentively than I expected, and, after a
little consideration, said that he thought it was very likely to
succeed. The plan once adopted, all hands set energetically to work to
make the required preparations.

There was, fortunately, an abundance of materials. I got out the
paint-pots, and mixed the colours according to Peter's directions. He
himself, with canvas and palm needles, fitted the necks, cutting holes
for us to see through them; the other men were employed in making six
prodigious round balls for heads, and covering one part with shakings,
to serve as hair. He undertook to stand at the helm, and to have his
head at the end of the boat-hook by his side, that he might lift it up
at the proper moment. All the frying-pans and shallow pots which could
be found were collected, and the captain made with damp gunpowder a
number of what schoolboys call "Vesuviuses." These, however, were very
much larger than the contents of a schoolboy's purse would allow him to
make. He tried one of them, and found it sent forth a lurid glare,
which even in the day-time showed what effect it would produce at night.

Before sunset all our preparations were completed; and when dressed up,
a very curious and horrid crew we most certainly did look. Had there
been more of us, the effect might perhaps have been increased. We now
waited almost with boyish impatience for the coming up of the rover to
put our trick into execution. Captain Gale was, however, too wise to
trust to it till all other means of escape had failed. The wind had
rather fallen than increased, and this was an advantage to us in two
ways: it enabled us to shorten sail with less difficulty than we should