r gunwale, and in
breathless silence they all listened in the direction to which I
pointed. A low, murmuring, rippling sound was heard, and a kind of dull,
smothered, creaking noise repeated at short intervals; nothing was to be
seen, however, for all was in deep shadow in that quarter.

"Talk of the devil, and he'll show his horns, Douglas!" said the
captain. "I have not been so long at sea without being able to
distinguish the whispering of the smooth water when a sharp keel is
slipping through it, or the sound of muffled sweeps. There may be
mischief there, or there may not; but we'll be prepared for the worst.
Get the men quietly to their quarters, put an extra dose of grape into
the guns, and have all our tools ready."

Just at this moment the moonlight broke brightly through the clouds, and
showed us a small, black-looking schooner, slowly crawling out from the
shadow of the land. Her decks were apparently crowded with people, and
she had a boat towing astern. The men were soon at their quarters--and a
fine, active, spirited set of fellows they were--each armed with a
cutlass and a brace of pistols, while tomahawks and boarding pikes lay
at hand for use if required. The passengers were all likewise provided
with muskets, pistols, and cutlasses, and the servants were ready to
load spare fire-arms. We mustered about fifty in all; but there was not
a flincher among us.

"Now, my lads;" said Captain Rose to his crew, "we must have a brush
for it. I have no doubt those fellows are pirates; and if once they get
footing on this deck, I would not give a farthing for any man's life on
board. Be cool and quiet. Don't throw away a shot; remember that you are
fighting for your lives; I do not doubt your courage, but be cool and
steady!"

In the meantime, the dark hull of the schooner was gradually nearing us.

"Schooner ahoy!" shouted Captain Rose. No answer; but the sweeps dipped
faster into the water, which rippled up beneath her bow. "Schooner,
ahoy!--answer, or I'll fire!" Still no reply; but, almost immediately, a
bright sudden flash burst from her bow, and a shot came whizzing through
the mizen-rigging.

"I thought so," calmly said the captain; "be cool, my lads; we must not
throw away a shot; he's hardly within our range yet." The moon broke out
for a moment. "Now, my lads, take time, and a steady aim. Give it him!"
And flash, flash--bang, bang, went all our six carronades. The captain's
advice had not been thro