; "we'll just take her in tow.
Come aboard as quick as you can." Then, turning to the sailing master,
"Well, Brookes, you'll have to do the best you can to get in over the
shoals under half sail."

"But, sir," said the master, "we'll be sure to run aground."

"Very well, sir," said the lieutenant, "you heard my orders. If we run
aground we run aground, and that's all there is of it."

"I sounded as far as maybe a little over a fathom," said the mate,
"but the villains would let me go no nearer. I think I was in the
channel, though. 'Tis more open inside, as I mind me of it. There's a
kind of a hole there, and if we get in over the shoals just beyond
where I was we'll be all right."

"Very well, then, you take the wheel, Baldwin," said the lieutenant,
"and do the best you can for us."

Lieutenant Maynard stood looking out forward at the pirate vessel,
which they were now steadily nearing under half sail. He could see
that there were signs of bustle aboard and of men running around upon
the deck. Then he walked aft and around the cabin. The sloop was some
distance astern. It appeared to have run aground, and they were trying
to push it off with the sweeps. The lieutenant looked down into the
water over the stern, and saw that the schooner was already raising
the mud in her wake. Then he went forward along the deck. His men
were crouching down along by the low rail, and there was a tense
quietness of expectation about them. The lieutenant looked them over
as he passed them. "Johnson," he said, "do you take the lead and line
and go forward and sound a bit." Then to the others: "Now, my men, the
moment we run her aboard, you get aboard of her as quick as you can,
do you understand? Don't wait for the sloop or think about her, but
just see that the grappling irons are fast, and then get aboard. If
any man offers to resist you, shoot him down. Are you ready, Mr.
Cringle?"

"Aye, aye, sir," said the gunner.

"Very well, then, be ready, men; we'll be aboard 'em in a minute or
two."

"There's less than a fathom of water here, sir," sang out Johnson from
the bows. As he spoke there was a sudden soft jar and jerk, then the
schooner was still. They were aground. "Push her off to the lee there!
Let go your sheets!" roared the boatswain from the wheel. "Push her
off to the lee." He spun the wheel around as he spoke. A half a dozen
men sprang up, seized the sweeps, and plunged them into the water.
Others ran to help them, bu