Pyjama clad though I was, I thrust my feet into slippers and ran up the companion ladder. I found Patterson there anxiously awaiting me.
"What is the matter?" I asked breathlessly. "Why did you send for me?"
"If you want my reason," he said, pointing over our starboard side, "look there."
I looked, and to my horror saw ahead of us, commanding the whole strait, two enormous men-of-war. They were within six miles of us, and were evidently making preparations for stopping us.
"What's to be done?" I cried. "Another quarter of an hour and they'll blow us into atoms if we don't heave-to."
"Will you inform your wife, and then, perhaps, we had better hold a council of war," answered Patterson.
Without another word I went below and told Alie. In the presence of this definite danger she was a new woman.
"I will dress and come on deck at once," she said.
I went off to my own cabin and, hastily clothed myself; having done so I returned to the deck to find Patterson looking through his glass at something astern.
"We're nicely caught," he said on becoming aware of my presence. "There's another of them behind us."