remaining in the locker, we
poured a few buckets of tar from a cask we found abroach on deck.

We had no fear about the craft not burning well, for she had a large
quantity of combustible materials of all sorts in her hold; and we
hastily made as large a heap of these as we could, so as to ensure her
effectually taking fire.

We then went into the cabin, and piled the bedding from all the berths
upon the floor, heaping the chairs and table upon it, and pouring a
copious libation of tar upon the whole. We then put a light to it,
staying long enough to see the mass burst into fierce flame; when we
rushed on deck, and I dived into the hold, whilst Bob went into the
forecastle, where we quickly kindled our respective heaps, and then as
quickly returned to the deck.

Thin clouds of smoke already poured up through the various openings of
the deck, promising speedy and effectual destruction to the brig; so we
had now nothing to do but _get_ away from her, and return with all speed
to the cutter.

"Steve" was lowered over the side into the punt, Bob and I followed, and
we at once pushed off for the cove, in the highest glee at having so
successfully carried out our daring scheme.

Daylight was just breaking as we pushed off, and by the time that we
entered our cove the sun was above the horizon.

We dropped the punt and canoe astern, and the sails being all bent and
loose (I having made every possible preparation for an immediate start
whilst waiting for the hour at which to set out upon our raid), we were
under way and standing out of the cove in ten minutes more.

Bob got our big gaff-topsail on the craft as we ran down towards the
passage, and I kept a bright look-out for any signs of alarm in the
pirate camp. The camp itself we could not see, of course; but I
expected to see men moving about on the shore. Nor was I disappointed,
for I soon descried a knot of figures standing upon the low point, which
was the nearest land to the brig, watching, in apparent stupefaction,
the progress of their vessel's destruction.

The brig was by this time almost enveloped in flames, and had the entire
crew been on board, they could then have done nothing to save her.

We were quickly discovered, of course, and great was the confusion which
our appearance seemed to excite; but I cared nothing about that--indeed,
it was a part of my programme that the pirates should know to whom they
were indebted for their present disaster.