gular steps,
glancing uneasily aloft, and hailing the men to bear a hand with their
mast-ropes.

"'Rogers,' said he to the mate, at the same time handing him the glass,
'take a look at that craft, and tell me what you think of her.'

"The mate looked long and carefully at her, and, returning the glass to
his superior, looked doubtingly and inquiringly in his face, and shook
his head--

"'I don't like the look of her at all, sir.'

"'Nor I, Rogers; however, we'll say nothing about her just now. If the
air continues so light, it will take her some time to reach us, and we
must make good use of the opportunity. Hurry the men with the topmast.
Heaven send us a cloudy night! As soon as it is dark, we'll alter our
course.'

"By dint of hard work, and a suspicion among the crew that the stranger
was an unpleasant neighbour, we were all ataunto, as the sailors call
it, before midnight, and were standing away before the light breeze. At
daylight, the captain's glass swept the horizon, and soon rested upon
the object of his search. A long and steady gaze seemed to confirm both
him and the mate in their first suspicion. The vessel, now considerably
nearer us, had been evidently watching our motions, and was as evidently
in pursuit of us. She was a long, low, rakish-looking brig, creeping
along before the faint breeze, and aiding its efforts with her sweeps.

"'It's the Dare-Devil, sir!' said the mate, his cheek paling as he
spoke; 'I know her now by the black fiddlehead, and her mast-heads
black. A bloodier pirate never swam. The Lord have mercy upon us, for
_he_ won't!'

"'Call the hands aft!' said the captain.

"The men assembled on the quarterdeck in stern silence. They seemed to
anticipate what was to follow; but it was evident theirs was not the
quietness of fear, but of determination.

"'My lads,' said the captain, 'that stranger, we have every reason to
believe, is a pirate. If there had been anything of a breeze, we might
have escaped; but now, our only chance is to show her what mettle we're
made of. You will have to fight for your lives; for so soon as they set
foot on this deck, they will murder every soul on board. What say you,
my lads? Will you die like dogs, or fighting like brave men?'

"A simultaneous cheer from the crew was the only reply, and they were
immediately dismissed to prepare for the impending conflict.

"'Ah, there she shows her teeth at last,' said the captain, as a puff of
smoke burst f