you pirates," replied Harry, "and we're bound to have you.
You had better surrender at once."

"Surrender!" repeated the governor, "not much we won't. We aint them
kind of fellers. We're goin' to fight as long as a plank of this yere
vessel stays above water. Mind that, spooneys."

The actions of the pirate crew fully confirmed the words of their chief.
They rushed to the starboard side of the deck, flourishing handspikes,
oars, and boat-hooks, evidently determined to make a desperate struggle
for their liberties, and among them Harry could see the two burglars,
one of whom was holding fast to the valise that contained Mr. Henry's
money. The young tars saw the war-like preparations, and they saw the
robbers, too, and knew that they were more to be feared than all the
Crusoe band. It was no boy's play to face revolvers in the hands of such
characters, but not one of the crew would have hesitated an instant, had
the order been given to board the schooner. They saw Tom Newcombe there,
and they could not forget that he had tried to burn the Storm King. They
crouched behind the rail like so many tigers, ready for a spring,
grasping their cutlasses, pikes, and muskets, and waiting for Harry to
lay the yacht alongside the pirate, when they would leap over the rail
and capture every one of their enemies, or drive them into the bay.

"Port it is, sir," said the quartermaster, in response to Harry's order.

The yacht and the schooner were rushing through the water, side by side,
like a couple of race horses on the home stretch, the pirate being about
half a length ahead; but, when Harry's order was obeyed, the Storm King
fell off and swung toward the schooner, and the first lieutenant
expected every instant to see the two vessels come in contact. So
certain was he that such would be the case, that he held fast to the
shrouds, to avoid being knocked overboard by the shock, and had even
opened his lips to shout: "Boarders away!" when the Sweepstakes drew
rapidly ahead and bounded on her course, leaving the yacht still
swinging around as if she were about to start down the narrows again. A
murmur of disappointment and indignation arose from the young tars on
the forecastle, who looked first at their officer, and then at the
rapidly receding schooner, as if they did not quite understand how she
had escaped. Harry felt a good deal as did Tom Newcombe when he
discovered the yacht coming out of the harbor, but he did not act as
fooli