When the Holker escaped the Roebuck and weathered the bar, Captain Risk commenced at once to replace the injured topmast, and get his sails repaired so that he could slip out in the dark of night, and show his heels to the frigate. But when Risk saw the armed sloop make the inlet with the three boats in tow, he knew what was ahead for his crew; therefore, he called them all on deck and pointing to the sloop, said:
“Men, there come those lime-juicers to take this brig. They outnumber us two to one. Shall we make them pay for their pains?”
“Ay, ay,” came from every throat, and the boatswain stepped forward and said:
“Captain, wherever you lead us we will go.”
Captain Risk was now on his mettle. His ship was crippled; his main-topmast was gone, he had thrown overboard his six-pounders, and he was short his two lieutenants; his prize crew was on the General Monk, and the killed and wounded in the engagement depleted his numbers; however, he was determined that if he were compelled to strike to the enemy he would make them pay two for one.
Mounting the quarter-deck, he first ordered a spring-line on his kedge to windward, his bower anchor to leeward so that he could spring his stern in a semicircle and bring his battery of twelve-pounders to bear, no matter from what point the enemy approached.
Next he ordered the boarding-nets in place, loaded all the muskets and pistols, and placed everything handy for fighting close aboard. Cutlasses and pikes were made ready and the deck was sanded. The battery was double-shotted with grape for close execution.
The Albatross came up with a fair breeze from the south’ard as though they were on a pleasure excursion. When the sloop drew up into the inlet, Barclugh got the glass from Captain Sutherland and critically examined the lines and rig of the Holker.
He then began to think. The whole matter came before his view. The Holker could be taken. The crew and Captain Risk could be confined until his plot was carried through. Yet he did not wish any harm to come to Risk during the fight.
When Barclugh returned the spying-glass to Captain Sutherland, he remarked earnestly: