nge_!" he boomed. "Will you surrender peacefully, and haul
down that flag?"

There was silence for a full ten seconds. Then a musket cracked and a
bullet imbedded itself in the mainmast by Job's head.

"All right, boys," he said, without moving, "let 'em have it! Ready,
port battery? Fire!" Jeremy and Bob, clinging side by side to the
hatch-combing, felt the planking quiver under them at the series of
mighty discharges, and saw the pirate schooner check and stagger like an
animal that has received its death wound.

Only one of her guns was able to reply, the round-shot screaming high and
wide. But on she went, and the steep beach below the dunes was very
close now.

Captain Job stood by the hatchway. "All hands up, ready to board her,"
he ordered, and the crew, swarming on deck, ran to their places by the
longboat amidships.

The _Tiger_ was now in very shallow water, but Job waited till he saw
the other craft strike. Then, "Bring her head to the wind, Hawkes!" he
cried, "And over with the boat, lads! Lively now, or they'll get
ashore!"

Hardly was the order given when the boat shot into the water. During the
scramble of the seamen for places on her thwarts, Jeremy and Bob jumped
down and crouched in the bows, unseen by any but those nearest them. Ten
seconds after she hit the waves the boat was filled from gunwale to
gunwale with sailors, armed to the teeth with pistols, cutlasses and
boarding-pikes. Job, last to leave the deck, spoke a word to Hawkes, who
remained in command, and jumped into the sternsheets.

"Now, give way!" he roared.

The eight stout oars lashed through the water and the boat sped
shoreward like an arrow. Up in the bows the two boys clutched their
weapons and waited. Neither one would have admitted that he was scared,
though they were both shivering with something more than the cold.
Besides his precious pistol, Bob was gripping the hilt of a
murderous-looking hanger, which he had picked up from the pile on deck
in passing. Jeremy had been able to secure no weapon but a short pike
with a heavy ashen staff and a knife-like blade at the upper end. They
peered over the bows in silence. The longboat was close to the
_Revenge's_ quarter now, but there was no sign of the pirates along her
rail.

"Suppose they've got ashore?" asked Bob. "I don't see--"

"Down heads all!"

It was Job's voice, and the boys together with many of the seamen ducked
instinctively at the words. As they did so ther