ould make
up his mind to speak.

"Alice," he said at length abruptly, "yonder vessel is a pirate."

Mrs Ellice looked up in surprise, and her face grew pale as her eye met
the troubled gaze of her husband.

"Are you quite sure, Frederick?"

"Yes, quite. Would God that I were left alone to--but--nay, do not be
alarmed; perhaps I am wrong; it may be a--a clipper-built trading
vessel. If not, Alice, we must make some show of fighting, and try to
frighten them. Meanwhile you must go below."

The captain spoke encouragingly as he led his wife to the cabin, but his
candid countenance spoke too truthfully, and she felt that his look of
anxious concern bade her fear the worst.

Pressing her fervently to his heart, Captain Ellice sprang on deck.

By this time the news had spread through the ship, and the crew,
consisting of upwards of thirty men, were conversing earnestly in knots
of four or five while they sharpened and buckled on cutlasses, or loaded
pistols and carbines.

"Send the men aft, Mr Thompson," said the captain, as he paced the deck
to and fro, casting his eyes occasionally on the schooner, which was
rapidly nearing the vessel. "Take another pull at these
main-topsail-halyards, and send the steward down below for my sword and
pistols. Let the men look sharp; we've no time to lose, and hot work is
before us."

"I will go for your sword, Father," cried Fred, who had just come on
deck.

"Boy, boy, you must go below; you can be of no use here."

"But, Father, you know that I'm not _afraid_."

"I know that, boy; I know it well; but you're too young to fight; you're
not strong enough; besides, you must comfort and cheer your mother, she
may want you."

"I am old enough and strong enough to load and fire a pistol, Father;
and I heard one of the men say we would need all the hands on board, and
more if we had them; besides, it was my mother who told me what was
going on, and sent me on deck to _help you to fight_."

A momentary gleam of pride lit up the countenance of the captain as he
said hastily: "You may stay, then," and turned towards the men, who now
stood assembled on the quarterdeck.

Addressing the crew in his own blunt, vigorous style, he said: "Lads,
yon rascally schooner is a pirate, as you all know well enough. I need
not ask you if you are ready to fight--I see by your looks you are. But
that's not enough--you must make up your minds to fight _well_. You
know that pirates give no qu