"No," said the captain quietly. "When I give the order, `Full speed ahead,' then you can act. Till then you are mate or passenger, whichever you like, of this dirty-looking trader. Ah, those three low junks, or whatever they are, can creep through the water pretty quickly." "Yes; and the big junk too," said Mr Reardon, using his glass. "It is astonishing how rapidly those great heavily-sailed craft can go. She's full of men, sir," he continued; "I can see more and more beginning to show themselves. Not much appearance of dishipline, though." "So much the better for us," muttered Captain Thwaites, turning in his cane arm-chair, and looking in the direction of the islands again, from which the three smaller vessels were coming on rapidly. "Yes,"--he said, as if to himself, "a head keeps showing here and there; they are full of men too." I was not experienced, of course, that only being my third voyage, but I knew enough of navigating tactics to grasp the fact that the four vessels were carefully timing themselves so as to reach us together, and this evidently was their customary mode of procedure, and no doubt accounted for ship after ship being taken and plundered. I felt startled, too, as I realised the strength of the crews, and what a simultaneous attempt to board might mean. With an ordinary merchantman, even with a strong crew, undoubtedly death and destruction, while even with our well-armed men and guns I began to have doubts. A slip in the manoeuvres, ever so slight a mistake on Captain Thwaites' part, or a blunder in the carrying out of his orders, might give one vessel the chance to make fast, and while we were arresting their onslaught there would be time for the others to get close in and throw their scores of bloodthirsty savages upon our decks. Mr Reardon had strolled forward, and returned just as the captain said to me-- "You may as well fetch me my sword and cap from the cabin, Mr Herrick." "Yes, sir," I said quickly, and I was off, but he stopped me. "Not now, boy," he cried impatiently; "when the first gun is fired will be time enough. Well, Reardon, men all ready?" "Ready, sir? they want wiring down. I'm only afraid of one thing." "What is that?" "That they will jam one another in the hatches in their excitement." "Give fresh stringent orders, sir," said the captain sternly; "every man is to go quickly and silently to his post, as if on an ordinary drill. By George! they are coming on quickly; we shall have it all over by daylight." "And they'll plunder the ship by lamplight, eh?" said Mr Reardon drily. "Of course. I think there is no need to feel any doubt now as to these being the men we want?" "I don't know, sir," said the lieutenant quietly; "but there is no doubt about their meaning to try and take this peaceful merchantman. Look, they feel sure of us, sir, and are showing themselves. Why, they swarm with men."