"Do we? Why?"
"That's our safety," growled he, with his eyes glued to the glass.
"Are you really afraid, Uncle Antony?"
"Well, no, not what you might call afraid. Wouldn't be very agreeable to be taken prisoner just now. Damn if I don't believe that's a letter of marque, that fellow!"
I laughed.
"Don't be afraid, Miss Archer," I said; "there are no letters of marque nowadays."
"Oh, do let me see! I hope he is one. I never saw a letter of marque."
The Skipper growled in my ear, "Pirates are just as bad."
"Will he take my cassava bread, and capture Solomon?"
"He'll capture you and the whole bilin' if we don't get ahead a little faster. I'd like to head her up. Can't, till we pass those nubbles on the starboard bow. Jones, we may have some tough work. You go below and get a bite, while I take the deck. May have to run."