ood up that he might obtain as far a
view as possible ahead. I had been so engaged in watching the prahus,
that I had not for some minutes looked at the brig.

"Hurrah!" I shouted, "she's got the breeze at last, and is coming on
bravely."

"Thank heaven!" exclaimed Uncle Jack.

At that moment the fighting men on board two of the prahus, which had
again got ahead of the others, began firing away at the ship. Not a
shot was returned from her. This made me fear that she had no means of
defence. On we dashed; even now we might be on board before the prahus
got alongside. We were, it should be understood, approaching on the
port bow, towards which, for obvious reasons, the mate had steered. The
next instant we had hooked on, ladders and ropes were lowered down to
enable us to get on board.

"Hoist in the boat, or the pirates may get her!" I heard Captain
Bingley shout out.

She was dropped under the davits. We found only, besides Captain
Bingley and the mates, half a dozen of the men with firearms, the others
had either pikes or boat-hooks, or such weapons as might serve for a
hand-to-hand tussle, but could not have prevented the pirates from
boarding. We had no time to ask questions, for two of the prahus were
almost alongside; hurrying across the deck, we stood with our muskets
pointed at them, telling Ned to shout in a loud voice and threaten them
with a fearful retribution should they attack us. As they still came on
we fired a well-aimed volley at the two nearest, bringing several of
their warriors to the deck, while we quickly again loaded. In another
instant they might have been attempting to clamber up the sides of the
ship, when the people on board the other prahus saw the approach of the
brig, which almost immediately opened fire with her long gun run out
through her bow port. A panic on this seized most of the fleet, and
pulling round away they went, leaving their leaders to their fate. The
latter seeing themselves deserted, cast off and pulled away with all
their might, their object being to avoid the which continued firing her
long gun as fast as it could be loaded. We and the crew of the "Iris"
raised a loud cheer as we saw that we had driven off our foes. Though
we had had happily but little fighting, Uncle Jack had no doubt by his
promptitude saved the ship from being boarded, when in a few minutes
every one belonging to her might have been put to death.

Captain Bingley, hurrying up to