to load.

Vince drew a deep sigh, and his face was flushed, while Mike looked of a
sallow white.

"Then there'll be a fight?" said the latter.

"Ay, there'll be a fight," said the cook. "We're in for it now; but
unless it's done with the big guns they won't take the _Marie_."

"Why?" said Vince. "Jacques daren't resist the King's men."

The cook chuckled. "You wait and see," he said. "Look at him."

The boys did look, and saw Jacques standing by the steersman, with a
drawn sword in one hand and pistols in his belt, hardly seeming to
notice the boats, which had separated, one making for the schooner and
the other for the _Belle-Marie_.

"Pilot sees mischief," said the cook. "He's going back. So would I if
I could. I say, young 'uns, you'd better go below, hadn't you?"

"No," said Vince sharply. "You won't, will you, Ladle?"

"No: I want to see," replied Mike; and they stood and watched the
rapidly approaching boat, with the smartly uniformed officer in the
stern sheets, and the sailors making the water sparkle as they sent the
trim craft rapidly nearer.

"Ha, ha!" laughed the cook softly; and the boys were about to turn and
ask him what he meant, when a movement on the part of the captain caught
their attention, while a wave of his hand made his men spring to their
feet.

The cutter's boat was still fifty yards away, when a sudden puff of wind
struck the lugger, her heavy canvas filled out, and she began instantly
to yield to the pressure, gliding softly through the water, and putting
fifty yards more between her and the boat.

Then the wind dropped again, and the officer in the boat stood up and
shouted to Jacques to lower sail, while his men pulled with all their
might, getting nearer and nearer.

"Do you hear?" yelled the officer: "let go everything, you scoundrel!"
But Jacques gave no order, and when the boat was within twenty yards he
was about to make a sign to his men to seize their arms, when the breeze
struck the lugger, and away she went, showing her magnificent sailing
qualities, for in a few minutes the boat was far behind, when there was
a put from the cutter's side, but not to send a ball across their bows,
for before the report reached the boys' ears a peculiar sound came
overhead, and there was a hole through the mainsail.

"Now we're in for it," said the cook; and another report rang out, but
this shot was at the schooner, which was gliding rapidly away, taking a
different course