all three of the craft being nearly in a
straight line; and it was arranged that our three boats should, on
emerging from the shelter of the island, make a dash at the nearest, as
if about to board her, Courtenay making for the larboard side of the
vessel, whilst Fidd and I made a feint of attacking on the starboard
side. The bulk of the crew we considered would naturally, seeing this,
muster on the starboard side to oppose the strongest division of the
attacking force, thus leaving the larboard side but weakly defended, and
so rendering it a tolerably easy matter for Courtenay and his boat's
crew to gain a footing upon her deck. Having thus given the gigs what
aid we could, the launch and quarter-boat were to pass on and make for
the large felucca, leaving Courtenay to gain possession of the first
vessel attacked, to secure her crew, and then to further act according
to his own discretion.

Shortly after the completion of these arrangements we found that we were
getting into close proximity with our foes, the masts of the feluccas
opening out simultaneously from behind a high bluff, and showing over a
sloping spur or point of the island between them and ourselves. We
accordingly got the boats into line, the men braced themselves for a
dash, and in another minute or two the boats were unmasked by rounding
the point. Even then we managed to get a length or two nearer the
vessels before we were discovered, for I had given the strictest
injunctions to the men not to cheer until we heard from the feluccas,
but the roll of the oars in their rowlocks at length betrayed us, as was
announced by a shout of unmistakable dismay from the nearest felucca,
immediately succeeded by a tremendous amount of confusion and bustle on
board. Then, indeed, our lads _did_ cheer once, with an enthusiasm
which must have been eminently disconcerting to the enemy, after which
they laid down to their oars in a style which, I must confess, fairly
astonished me. We went through the water like race-horses over the
ground, dashing alongside the first felucca in so short a time that her
crew were unable to train their guns upon us, and so greeted us only
with a confused volley of musketry which hurt nobody. As we swerved
away from her, and headed for the large craft a couple of cable's-
lengths distant, I caught sight of Courtenay's head and shoulders over
the bulwarks, showing that he, gallant fellow, had already gained a
footing on her deck; a