As old Tom observed, “If they do not come, there’s no harm done; and if they do, why they’ll pretty soon find out that they’ve had their pull for nothing.”
As Tom had been awake the whole of the first watch, Harry told him to go below, observing that he and I would keep a look-out.
“No, thank you, sir,” answered Tom; “I will get my sleep by-and-by; I’d like to be ready in case the pirates should follow us.”
“You, Ned, had better then go below, as you cannot do without sleep, and you can be called if you are wanted.”
I was just about to do as he advised me, when old Tom, pointing to the eastward, towards which our starboard broadside was turned, exclaimed, “As sure as I’m an Englishman there come the boats, and I can make out three of them pulling abreast; we shall see them more clearly presently.”
The watch below, which had lately turned in, were soon roused up, and I called Charlie Tilston, as he had begged me to do.
“We will have the port guns over to the starboard side, and give the fellows a salute which will show that we are not to be caught napping,” said Harry. “All ready, there?”
He took charge of one gun, Tom of another, Lizard of the third, and I of the last. We waited till the boats had got as far as we could judge within range, and then fired together, aiming as carefully as we could. We then immediately reloaded, to be ready for them should they make a dash at us. Whether or not we had hit either of the boats we could not be certain, they still appeared to be coming on. Just then Harry exclaimed—
“Trim sails; here’s the breeze.”
The helm was put up, the fore-topsail blew out, the mainsail filled.