The captain of the ship commenced apparently making preparations to receive the visit, when one of the men on deck who had been observing the boat for some time came to him and said:
"That's he. I'm sure I can't be mistaken. The man on the bow of the boat is the notorious pirate Flint."
The pirates were approaching rapidly.
In a moment more they would be along side, and nothing could prevent them from boarding the ship.
In that moment the captain of the ship, by a skilful movement suddenly tacked his vessel about just as the pirates came up, coming in contact with the boat in such a manner as to split her in two in a moment.
A dozen men sprung up from the bottom of the boat, uttering horrid curses while they endeavored to reach the ship or cling to portions of their shattered boat.
The greater portion of them were drowned, as no efforts were made to rescue them.
Three only succeeded in reaching the deck of the ship in safety, and these would probably have rather followed their comrades had they known how few were going to escape.
These three were Captain Flint, the one called the Parson and Old Ropes.
These were at first disposed to show fight, but it was of no use. Their arms had been lost in their struggle in the water.