“The wind was leaving them as it had us, and he saw in a moment how matters stood.
“Mr Rogers told him that he and the other midshipmen were ready to fight and defend the brig to the last.
“‘You’re brave lads,’ he answered. ‘I thank you heartily. If Captain Crowhurst thinks there’s a chance of beating them off we’ll risk it, but otherwise, for the sake of my daughter, it would be dangerous to make the attempt.’
“‘It’s for her sake, sir, that we are anxious to fight,’ answered Mr Rogers.
“‘Captain Crowhurst, will your crew support you?’ asked the colonel of the skipper, who had just gone up to him.
“‘I doubt it,’ he answered. ‘The fellows are brave enough, but the odds are fearfully against us. I’ll speak to them, and learn what humour they are in.’
“You’ll understand I’d gone aft with the midshipmen. The skipper went forward, and we saw him speaking to the crew, who were clustered together, talking among each other.
“In my opinion the skipper himself hadn’t much fighting in him, bold and blustering as he seemed. While he was forward the young lady came on deck. She judged by the midshipmen’s countenances that something was wrong, though her father looked as stern and determined as usual.
“‘I fear that you will be put to some inconvenience,’ he said; ‘those men-of-war I suspect are sent to overhaul the brig, and, becalmed as we are, we cannot escape them, but I am very sure that our young friends here will defend you from insult, and our enemies may be satisfied if they can get hold of the captain and me.’
“‘That we will,’ said all the midshipmen together.