"Now is the time to see if I'm a pilot or not, Tom," said he. "I think I can steer her through by compass, now that it's nearly high water--luck's all. It was fortunate that we got the staysail hoisted for us, or we could have made nothing of it." "It's clearing up fast," said I, as I kept my eyes upon where the men were lying abaft; "and there'll be plenty of wind." "Yes, and we'll have daylight soon. Tom, I don't want you. I should like you to step aft, and stand over those two chaps; if they wake, knock them senseless--don't kill them, as you can easily bind them while they are stupefied. And, Tom, look about you for some seizings all ready. I wish they would wake, for we are not safe while they are not secure. Put a handspike by me, and, if necessary, I will leave the helm for a minute, and help you: it's better that she should go on shore than they should master us. We're pretty safe now, at all events. I see the land--all's right." It was now daylight. After this whispering with Bramble, I went aft with a handspike in my hand; and I had not been there more than two minutes when one of the privateer's men turned the canvas on one side, and looked up. The handspike came down upon his head, and he dropped senseless; but the noise roused up the other, and I dealt him a blow more severe than the first. I then threw down my weapon, and, perceiving the deep-sea lead-line coiled up on the reel, I cut off sufficient, and in a short time had bound them both by the hands and feet. They groaned heavily, and I was afraid that I had killed them; but there was no help for it. "They are safe," said I, returning to Bramble. "I thought I heard you, but I did not look round at the time. Half an hour more, Tom, and, even with this wind, we shall be safe--and, Tom, our fortune's made. If they wake below, we must fight hard for it, for we've a right to salvage, my boy--one-eighth of the whole cargo--that's worth fighting for. Depend upon it, they'll be stirring soon; so, Tom, go aft, and drag the trysail here, and put it on the hatchway grating--its weight will prevent their lifting it up in a hurry. If we can only hold our own for twenty minutes longer she is ours, and all right." As soon as I had stowed the trysail on the hatchway grating, I looked about to see what else I could put on the skylight, which they might also attempt to force up. I could find nothing but the coils of rope, which I piled on; but, while I was so doing, a pistol was fired at me from below, and the ball passed through the calf of my leg; it was, however, not a wound to disable me, and I bound it up with my handkerchief. "They're all alive now, Tom, so you must keep your eyes open. However, we're pretty safe--the light vessel is not a mile off. Keep away from the skylight--you had better stand upon the trysail, Tom--you will help to keep the hatchway down, for they are working at it." Another pistol was now fired at Bramble, which missed him.