, anxiously.

"The fellow is hugging the wind instead of running down to us; and as he
completely outsails us, it is a proof that he does not wish to close."

"How do you account for the great confusion on board her? With so
strong a crew, the foresail should have been hoisted directly."

"The lubbers can fight like savages, but can't sail their ship, that's
all," said the captain, laughing.

Steps were heard coming down the hatchway, and the mate opened the
cabin-door.

"The schooner is edging nearer us, Captain Weber," he said, "and there
is some long black object on her decks I can't quite make out."

"I'll be on deck in a moment, Mr Lowe. Steward, give me a small glass
of brandy to finish with."

"Well, gentlemen," said the seaman, as he raised the glass, "here's to
our voyage, and--"

The word was never spoken, for a distant but loud report, followed by
the rending of wood, interrupted him. For a moment the old seaman stood
like a statue, the next he was on deck.

The first glance explained to him the reason of the continued confusion
on board the schooner, which a moment before he had sneered at as a
proof of incapacity. The pirate had gone to windward, and now lay on
the brig's weather quarter, the tack of her mainsail hauled up, quite
out of the reach of her fire. Her crew had been busy getting up from
her hold a long eighteen-pounder, which was shipped amidships, and
worked on a swivel. The first shot had struck the "Halcyon's" bulwarks,
just abaft the foremast, leaving a long white strip, where the wood had
been torn away.

Both captain and mate looked at each other, for here seamanship was
powerless.

"The bloody-minded villains!" ejaculated the mate.

"They have us at their mercy," sighed the master. "Sailing more than
three feet for our one, there they can stick and pound away at us as
they like."

"Shall we try our range, Captain Weber?"

"Do so, but it is quite useless," was the reply, as the seaman leaned
his elbows on the weather bulwarks, and gazed steadily at the schooner.

"Take good aim, my lads, and fire when you are ready."

The light report of the gun, differing so greatly from the loud heavy
thud of the eighteen-pounder, was heard, and the master noted the hall
as it flew from wave to wave, scattering the spray, but finally dropping
with a splash into the sea, a few hundred yards short of the schooner.

"I thought as much," growled the captain. "The scoundrels have w