Madly they pulled to reach their brig ere they were overtaken by these new enemies. Already the first boat had gained the vessel’s side, and panic-stricken, the crew flung themselves over the ship’s rails, dropping the painter of their boat and thinking only of safety. But the second boat was too late. When still far from the brig, the Hector’s boat was upon them, and, as the raiders glimpsed the grim, heroic figure of old Pem standing with uplifted iron in the bow, deadly fear gripped them and with agonized screams they strove wildly to escape. The next instant the heavy iron hurtled through the air, and as it crashed among them, the men, with one accord, leaped from their seats and plunged headlong into the sea.
“Reckon that finished of ’em!” growled Cap’n Pem grimly. “Sarves ’em right if I speared ’em like pupusses. Wonder what in tarnation’s the rumpus is anyhow. Give way, lads!”
Long before the boat had reached the beach, the brig had slipped her cable, her yard had been swung, and as the last of the swimmers pulled himself into her chains, she was standing towards the open sea.
CHAPTER XIII
HOMEWARD BOUND
As the boat grated upon the beach and Cap’n Pem and the two boys leaped ashore, Mike started to relate his story of the raiders and the battle, but in the midst of his narrative his jaw dropped, he rubbed his eyes and then suddenly burst into a roar of laughter.
“Saints presarve us!” he shouted. “Shure an’ ’tis another cripple yez are afther bringin’,—an’ black as the ace o’ spades! B’gorra ’tis three av’ a koind we are. An’ what wid the b’yes, ’twill be a foine full-house we’ll be afther havin’ on the barrk!”
Then, controlling his mirth with an effort, he related the events of the raid.
“Didn’t I tell ye that there bo’sun bird was bad luck!” ejaculated Cap’n Pem. “Fust the storm an’ then this ’ere raid. How much ’ile’d they git off with?”
“But who were they?” queried Tom, before Mike could reply.
“Jes’ low-down or’nary, black Portugee raiders,” exploded the old whaleman. “’T’ain’t the fust time they’ve turned the trick. Derned ef I ain’t sorry I didn’t spear a few on ’em!”