should come.

We were busy pointing a new main-topmast when the boatswain, who was in
the top, hailed the deck to say that the lugger and brig had rigged out
their sweeps, and were heading in our direction, while the ship had
lowered her boats and sent them ahead to tow. I went up into the
mizzen-topmast cross-trees, taking my glass with me, and soon discovered
that the report was only too correct; for when I reached my perch all
three craft were heading straight for us, the lugger churning up the
water with her sweeps and coming along at quite a smart pace, the brig
following close behind, and the ship, in tow of her own boats, bringing
up the rear. This effectually disposed of the theory that they might
possibly be merchantmen; they were far too heavily-manned to be anything
but privateers or men-o'-war, and it was perfectly clear that they were
fully bent upon paying us a visit.

It afterwards appeared that Captain Winter did not suspect this new
development until some time after the strangers had got into motion;
then, observing that all three vessels kept their heads persistently
pointed in our direction, and that he appeared to be nearing them much
faster than at first, an inkling of the truth dawned upon him, and he
ordered his crew to pull easy, that they might reserve their strength
for a spurt in case of need. Nevertheless, he continued to pull toward
them until he had arrived within gun-shot of the lugger--the crew of
which at once opened fire upon him--when, having ascertained the force
of the squadron, he returned with all speed to us, having meanwhile made
up his mind how to act.

He discovered that the lugger mounted six six-pounders; the brig showed
five ports of a side, but the weight of her metal he could not
ascertain, since her guns were run in and her ports closed; and the ship
mounted sixteen guns, apparently nine-pounders. Now this was a force
altogether too strong for us to cope with, even had we not been hampered
with a prize to look after; for, unlike the case of the frigate, the
force was distributed among three vessels instead of being concentrated
on board of one only; and while Captain Winter was always ready to trust
something to the chapter of accidents, and to risk a good deal upon the
chance that a lucky shot might seriously disable a single antagonist, it
became a different matter altogether when there were three craft to
contend with. He, therefore, reluctantly came to the con