he working of the
engine. And be pleased to remember that you and Mr Forbes are included
among those who are to keep carefully under cover until otherwise
required."

"All hands under cover," shouted the mate, as he made his way forward.
"Stow yourselves away where no shot can get at you, my lads, but hold
yourselves ready to answer smartly to a call. Harry, I want you and Joe
Martin to--"

I heard no more, being by this time halfway down the companion-ladder in
quest of my rifle, for the time was now at hand when it would be needed.
As I entered my own state-room I heard Sir Edgar's voice speaking in
reassuring tones in his wife's cabin, and as I emerged again with my
rifle in my hand, a cutlass girt about my waist, and a pair of revolvers
in my belt, he came into the saloon and from thence followed me on deck.
As I placed my foot on the bottom step of the companion-ladder I heard
the report of another discharge from the proa mingling sharply with the
deep, volleying roll of the thunder overhead, but as there was no
accompanying patter of shot on the deck I concluded that they had again
missed us.

I was heartily glad that the Malays had unmistakably declared their
intentions by opening fire upon us, for, to be perfectly candid, I had
been in some perplexity as to how I ought to act towards them, should
they make no hostile demonstration towards us while approaching. For
while, on the one hand, there had scarcely been a shadow of doubt in my
mind, from the moment when my eye first fell upon them, that the proas
were piratical craft, with sinister designs upon the barque, there
remained, on the other hand, a bare possibility--until they absolutely
declared themselves to be otherwise--that they might be perfectly honest
traders bound upon their own lawful business, and we should hardly be
justified in taking the initiative and opening fire upon them as they
approached, merely because their movements happened to present to us a
suspicious appearance, and because their respective courses happened to
be in our direction. But now that one of them--the craft nearest us--
had actually assumed the offensive, we need entertain no further
scruples, so far at least as she was concerned; and as for the others,
now that the engagement might be said to have begun, we should soon
discover, by their behaviour, what their intentions were.

"How is your rifle sighted?" asked Sir Edgar, as we stood together near
the wheel, watchi