"Now, my man, you are the master of the Mellish, are you not?"
"I was a few moments ago," replied the man, sullenly.
"Well, you are to stand right here, and answer hails just as I tell you; do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Williams, you and another hold him, and if he hesitates to answer, or answers other than I tell him, blow his brains out. Now we have nothing to do but wait. Keep her a good full at the helm there."
"Ay, ay, sir," replied the veteran quartermaster, stationed at the con.
Meanwhile the Juno had come abeam of the vessel next ahead of the
Ranger, and the conversation which followed was as plainly audible in
the latter ship as had been the beating to quarters just after she wore.
"Providence ahoy there!" came from the Juno. "What is the matter?
What are you burning blue lights for?"
"Nothing is the matter with us, sir, but we heard pistol shots and cries on the Mellish astern, and thought we saw two ships instead of one. It's so beastly black to-night we could n't make out anything very well."
"All right; better keep off a little, out of the way. I will run down and see what's wrong."
The present course of the Juno would have brought her across the bows of the Ranger, but the ships were nearing so rapidly that a collision would have resulted, so the Juno was kept away a little, and soon ran down on the lee bow of the Ranger. The two ships were thus placed side by side, the Ranger on the port tack having the advantage of the weather gauge of the Juno, which had the wind free,—an advantage the captain of the English ship would never have yielded without an effort, had he imagined the character of the ship opposite him. The battle lanterns of the Juno were lighted, the ports triced up, and she presented a brilliant picture of a gallant ship ready for action. The Ranger, black as the night and silent as death, could barely be discerned in dim outline from the Juno.