rights
again. Although the damage on deck was considerable, yet their first
care was to get up a new topmast, and another jib-boom out, for both
which purposes they fortunately had spare ones on board. Bowse had gone
for a minute below, where Timmins speedily followed him.

"A boat shoving off from the polacca brig, sir," said the mate.

He was on deck in a minute; by his glass he saw a six-oared gig rapidly
approaching; she had in the stern-sheets four persons, three of whom
were dressed as officers, and wore cocked hats.

The passengers were on deck, as well as the two mates, watching the
boat.

"I suspect after all we shall find that we were unnecessarily alarmed,
and they will prove very honest gentlemen," observed the colonel.

"I trust they may be," said Ada. "It would be very dreadful to have to
fight."

"I'm afraid there's little honesty either on board the craft or the
boat; for I trust little to the Austrian bunting flying at her peak,"
answered Bowse. "You must not be frightened, young lady, when you see
the men armed. It is safe to be prepared--Mr Timmins, get the
cutlasses and small arms on deck, and send the people to their
quarters--Colonel Gauntlett, I will speak with you, if you please;" and
the master led the colonel aside. "I have to propose a bold plan, and a
dangerous one, should it not succeed; but if it does, I think our safety
is secured. The pirate--for pirate the commander of that brig is, I am
assured--will, I suspect, through audacity or fool-hardiness, venture on
our deck; now, what I propose, if he does, is to entice the rest of the
people on board, and to seize them and their boat, and to hold them as
hostages."

"But suppose they should prove to be really Austrians," urged the
colonel. "It would be an odd way of treating officers who come to pay a
friendly visit; and, seeing there are ten men in the boat, it will not
be quite so easy either."

"No fear of that, sir," answered Bowse; "they venture here because they
don't know what Englishmen are made of. They have been accustomed to
deal with Turks and degenerate Greeks and Italians, and fancy they can
manage us as easy; they come to see the condition we are in. Now, as I
feel certain that boat comes here with the intention and hope of taking
this brig without any resistance, I want to make them fall into their
own trap."

The colonel thought a little time. "Well," he answered, "I do not
dislike your plan on the who