"Take a gun, then."
"Wha—wha—wha——" gasped Cyd.
"Silence, Cyd! Keep both eyes on the sails, or I'll put a bullet through your head. I didn't expect you would be a coward at such a time as this."
"Dis chile ain't a coward," answered Cyd, rising from his seat.
"Sit down, and mind your helm then!"
"Give me de gun, and I'll show you Cyd ain't no coward, no how."
"You never fired a gun in your life. You would be more likely to shoot yourself than any body else. Mind your helm; that's all we want of you."
"Possifus! Dis chile ain't no coward, no how," growled Cyd, as he cast his eyes at the sails. "Fire away dar, and show dese folks Cyd's no coward!"
"Gwine to fire into dem folks in de boat?" asked Quin.
"I am, if occasion requires," replied Dan, as he discharged the gun he held in his hand in the direction of the pursuers. "But I want to let them know that we are armed, and able to give as good as they send. I don't want to kill any of them if I can help it."