The doctor seemed to agree with the captain, so Jerry refrained from again loading his rifle. The effect, however, of his single shot was most disastrous, for the pirates, supposing that we were about to show fight, brought several muskets forward, and opened a hot fire on us. As the bullets came rattling about our ears, I thought not one of us would escape. The two poor Sandwich islanders were brought to the deck, one directly after the other, desperately wounded. The matter was becoming very serious. I thought that we ought to lower our sails; so did the doctor, but Captain Stone begged us to keep all standing. "We can't tell still, sir, but what we may escape. Hold on, hold on," he cried out. "There is One who watches over us. If it is his will that we are to be destroyed, his will be done." Scarcely had he uttered these words of true piety than he suddenly lifted up his arm, letting go the tiller, and fell to the deck. Jerry ran to the helm. I tried to lift him up, while the doctor knelt down by his side. "Hold on, hold on, I counsel you," he whispered, raising his head. "They have done for me. Doctor, you cannot help me, I feel. It's all right; we were doing our duty. We know in whom we trust. He is mighty to save our souls alive." With these words he fell back, giving one look at our pursuer, and urging us by a sign to hold on our course. The doctor took his hand. After holding it for a minute, he shook his head. "He's gone," he remarked; "as brave a man as I ever met, and as true a Christian." Jerry meantime stood undauntedly at the helm. No sooner, however, had the captain fallen than the pirates, seeing what had occurred, ceased firing. They had now got so near, that, had they chosen, they might have picked every one of us off without difficulty. At last they came up almost abreast of us. "Heave to, you young jackanapes, or we will sink you," sung out a man from forward. The doctor was attending to one of the wounded natives, so they did not observe him, perhaps. Although the command was issued in a very uncomplimentary style, Jerry and I agreed that it would be useless to disobey it; so going about, while he stood at the helm, I ran forward and let fly the jib-sheet, while the foresail remained to windward. "Send your boat aboard us," shouted the same voice. "We haven't got one," answered Jerry. "You know that well enough, I should think," he added in a lower voice. "Oh, we'll send one, then," replied the speaker.