“Pst! Captain!” whispered Briscoe, and that gentleman crossed to where they stood.
“See anything?”
For answer Brace pointed up stream, and after a sharp glance the captain sent one of the men below, and the whole party were upon the qui vive, with hardly a word being uttered, for every man was prepared for the alarm. That which had been fully expected had occurred, and, rifles in hand, officers, passengers, and crew took the places to which they had been appointed.
Brace’s heart beat fast as he stood gazing at the long low shadowy objects gliding slowly nearer and nearer to the brig, thinking the while that if he were captain he would give the order at once for fire to be opened with buckshot, so that it might scatter and wound as many of the Indians as possible without causing death.
But he was not in command, and he started with surprise, for the captain’s voice suddenly rang out with an order, though not the one he anticipated.
“Stand by, a couple of you,” he said, “and be handy there, Mr Dellow, to let go the port anchor. I expect they’ll foul the cable and send us adrift.”
There was a pattering of feet upon the deck, and the next moment Captain Banes’s hand was upon Brace’s shoulder.
“Your eyes are a little out of focus, squire,” he said quietly. “They magnify too much, and see more than there is.”
“Why—what—surely—” stammered Brace.
“It’s all right, my lad,” said the captain quietly. “Better than seeing nothing when there’s real danger coming on board.”