"Be ready, Bart," said Abel, with a lurid look in his eyes, as he once more levelled his piece. "You, Dinny, are you going to help?" "No," said the sailor. "It's piracy and murder if you shoot them, Dinny Kelly, and it's fair-play if they shoot you." "Yis, it is awkward," said Dinny; "but Oi'm thinking I don't want to go back and be on senthry again, and there, Oi'll make a compromise of it. I won't shoot, but I'm mak' believe, and frecken 'em." As he spoke he lay down on the deck and took aim at the occupants of the coming boat, whose position was extremely perilous, while the sides of the cutter sheltered those on board. "Keep back!" roared Abel, as the boat neared them fast. "We're loaded with ball, not shot." There was a momentary indecision on the part of the overseer, and it was instantly communicated to the men, for they ceased to paddle, while the two principals bent forward and spoke earnestly. "No, they will not dare," said the overseer, loudly. "Go on, my lads! Surrender, you dogs, or you shall all be hung." The boat was urged through the water again, and the overseer raised his fowling-piece, took aim, and was about to fire, when the officer with him laid his hand upon his arm. "Wait," he said. "Then both fire together, close in, and board." "We'll do that afterwards," cried the overseer, discharging his piece and rapidly reloading as the boat glided on till it was only about twenty yards away, and, in spite of a fierce threat or two, the repugnance to shed blood and the natural desire not to fight against the law had kept Abel and Bart from returning the fire. Their case seemed hopeless now, unless in the struggle to come they repelled the boarders, for the wind which dotted the sea a hundred yards away with ripples refused to kiss their sail, and in another minute the overseer and his party would have been alongside, when, just as he covered Jack's arm, which could be seen lying upon the tiller, and when a shot at such short range would have been almost as bad as one from a bullet, there was a puff of smoke, a sharp report, and the overseer started up in the boat, dropped his fowling-piece, which fell into the sea with a splash, and then, before the officer could save him, he pitched head foremost over the side. "Look at that now," said Dinny, who had risen into a sitting position on the deck, with his musket across his lap. "Yes; you've done it now, Dinny Kelly," said the sailor, gruffly. "Desarted from the station, and shot the superintendent." "Sorra a bit," said Dinny, as the wind suddenly struck the cutter, which heeled over and began to forge rapidly through the water. "Sorra a bit, man. It was this awkward baste of a mushket. I just closed my finger for a moment on the thrigger, and whoo! off she went, kicking up her heels like a nigger's mule. D'yer think the overseer's hurt?" "I think you've killed him."