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the cabin-window which commands the boat's painter, and shoot down whoever tries to cut it." Gregory nodded, took a gun and some cartridges, and walked to one of the cabin-windows, then to another, and changed again. He had hardly reached the last and looked out when there was a shot, a yell, and a second shot. The captain rushed to his officer's side. "What is it?" he cried. "Only just in time," said the mate, coolly reloading. "One of the scoundrels had swum round, was in the boat, and cutting her away." "Did you--" The captain paused and looked inquiringly in the mate's eyes. "We're fighting for our lives and the lives of these ladies, Captain Strong," said Gregory. "Suppose we do our duty and ask no questions afterwards. The Malay did not cut the painter." Captain Strong nodded and returned to where the men stood by the barricaded door, to answer the major's inquiring look with a few words as to matters being all right, and then they waited, with the ladies pale and anxious, in one of the cabins, and Mark standing ready to supply ammunition when it should be required. They had not long to wait for an attack. The discovery that the man who had tried to get the boat had been shot was met with a loud burst of angry yells, and this was followed by a fresh attempt, as was shown to the defenders of the door by another shot from the mate. There was another burst of yelling, and at intervals three more shots were fired by Mr Gregory. "Why, he's getting all the fun, Strong!" said the major. "They might come this way; but the mischief is that we've left no holes to fire from. Never mind; if we had they would have been able to see in." Mark about this time walked to where Mr Gregory was leaning against the bulkhead with the muzzle of his gun bearing upon the spot a man must reach to cut the painter. "Want any more cartridges, Mr Gregory?" said Mark. For answer the mate bent down, glanced along the barrel of his gun and fired. Mark darted forward and caught sight of a hideously-distorted face and a pair of raised hands before they disappeared beneath the surface, and just at that moment he darted back, barely in time to avoid a spear which stuck quivering in the woodwork round the window. "Not a very safe place. Squire Mark," said the mate, reloading without taking his eyes from the boat, and firing again as a dark head literally flashed into sight, one of the Malays having dived an
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