s in loading the
arms. Our men pulled as hard as they could bend their backs to the
oars. They believed that if we could once gain the ship's deck, that we
should succeed in driving back the pirates as well as we had done on
board the brig. We could not tell whether we had been seen from the
prahus, but those on board the ship would, we hoped, make out the signal
hoisted at the mast-head of the "Lily," that a boat was coming to their
assistance, and that this would encourage them to defend themselves
should they be attacked before we could reach them. I had never before
felt the intense anxiety I now experienced, and I knew how Uncle Jack
must be feeling.

We were now rapidly nearing both the leading prahus and the ship, and we
could even distinguish the fighting men on the decks of the former, with
their gingalls and muskets or spears in their hands, though we could not
make out whether they had any guns in their bows.

Captain Bingley had laughed at our carrying so many guns, and Uncle Jack
said that when the "Iris" sailed she had only two six-pounders for
firing signals. Whether others had afterwards been shipped he could not
tell; even the two small ones it was possible might have been hove
overboard to lighten the ship.

As I before said the tide was rising, and we remarked that the "Iris"
had lifted considerably since we left the brig. I need not say that I
very often turned my eyes towards the "Lily" to see if she was moving
faster than before. Though still gliding on through the smooth water,
it was at a slow pace. Already the leading prahus were within a quarter
of a mile of the ship, when their crews ceased rowing. In a short time
we saw that it was only to allow some of the others to come up,
apparently that they might make their attack together. The delay was of
advantage to us. We were near enough to see our friends, who had been
anxiously watching us, waving signals from the forecastle. They of
course knew who we were. I thought I saw two female dresses. I could
hardly be mistaken. But presently they disappeared; probably Captain
Bingley had ordered his wife and daughter below to be out of the way of
any missiles the pirates might discharge.

"We shall do it, we shall do it. Give way, my fine lads!" cried Uncle
Jack; and the crew pulled until I feared they might spring their oars.

We had another danger to encounter, that of running on any intervening
coral reefs, and the first mate st