e
stood straining our eyes, and as we stared wildly there was a cheer, and
we saw the boat touch the lugger's side, the sailors and the lieutenant
spring up, and they made a dash to leap on board.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

I SEEM TO BE AN ENEMY TO AN OLD FRIEND.

I don't know which of us lads gripped his companion's hand the harder as
we saw the struggle begin.

"They'll half kill him," groaned Bigley; and then he remained panting
there with his eyes starting as we saw the men on the lugger, headed by
old Jonas, make a brave defence of their deck, being armed with
capstan-bars and cudgels, while the revenue cutter's men had cutlasses
which flashed in the evening sunshine as if they had been made of gold.

We could hear the sound of the blows, some sounding sharp, which we knew
to be when the bars struck on the sides of the lugger; some dull, when
they struck upon the men; while others made a peculiarly strange
chopping noise, which was of course when sword encountered cudgel.

"It's all over," groaned Bigley at last, as the sailors seemed for the
moment to have mastered the lugger; but just then I saw old Jonas tumble
one man over the side into the boat, and another over the bulwark into
the water with a great splash, and all the while the sails of the lugger
were full, and the little vessel was beginning to move faster and faster
through the water.

One of the men in the gig was still holding on by the bulwark as the
struggle went on, but I suddenly saw old Jonas bring down a cudgel
smartly upon his head, the blow sounding like a sharp rap, when the man
fell back, and my father caught and saved him from going overboard.

The next moment there seemed to be a gap between the lugger and the gig,
and we could see the heads of three men in the water swimming, and the
next minute or two were occupied in dragging them in, two being sailors,
and the other the lieutenant, who stood up in the stern-sheets and shook
himself.

"Heave to!" he roared after the lugger; "heave to, or we'll sink you!"

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" came in a mocking laugh, that from its hoarse
harshness was evidently old Jonas's, and the lugger heeled over now and
began to skim through the water.

"Why, they're going to run for it," I cried excitedly.

"But the cutter will sink them," panted Bigley. "Oh, father, father,
why didn't you take me too?"

"Never mind that, Big," I cried. "Look, they're going to row to the
cutter."

For the oars were