ked graver than usual.
He instantly gave orders to furl the awning, and to be ready to make
sail as soon as the breeze should reach us. "The youngster is right,
Mr Dobree," he said, turning to the mate, and probably not aware that I
overheard him.

"It's that piccarooning craft the _Foam_; and Mr Hawk, as he calls
himself, is after some of his old tricks. I had my suspicions of him
when I saw him off New Orleans; but I did not think he would venture to
attack us."

"He's bold enough to attack any one, sir," said the mate; "but we
flatter ourselves that we shall be able to give a very good account of
him, if he begins to play off any of his tricks on us."

"We'll do our best, Mr Dobree," said the captain; "for if we do not, we
shall have but a Flemish account to render of our cargo, let alone our
lives."

I do not know if I before stated that the _Susannah_ carried four guns--
two long and two carronades; and as we had a supply of small arms and
cutlasses, we were tolerably able to defend ourselves.

The captain walked the deck for some time in silence, during which
period the stranger had perceptibly approached to us. He then again
went aloft, and scrutinised her attentively. On coming down he stopped
at the break of the poop, and, waving his hand, let us know that he
wished to address us. "My lads," he began, "I don't altogether like the
look of that fellow out yonder, who has been taking so much pains to get
up to us. He may be honest, but I tell you I don't think so; and if he
attempts to molest us, I'm sure you'll one and all do your duty in
defending the brig and the property on board her entrusted to you. I
need not tell you that pirates generally trust to the saying, that dead
men tell no tales; and that, if that fellow is one, and gets the better
of us, our lives won't be worth much to any of us."

"Don't fear for us, sir; we're ready for him whatever he may be," sung
out the whole crew with one voice.

The stranger brought along the breeze with him, but as yet our sails had
not felt a particle of its influence. At length, when he was little
more than a mile off, a few cat's-paws were seen playing on the water;
they came, and vanished again as rapidly, and the sea was as smooth as
before. In time they came oftener and with more power; and at length
our topsails and topgallant-sails were seen slowly to bulge out as the
steadier breeze filled them.

The wind came, as I have said, from the south-