Part 59 (1/2)

”DEFENCE, NOT DEFIANCE.”

”What did you say? Oh yes, I remember. It has come out all right; but we shall have them in here directly, after us.”

”What's that?” said the skipper, who overheard his words. ”I hope not, and I doubt of their getting within shot. Here, Burgess.”

”Hallo!” growled the mate, and he came slowly up, looking, as Poole afterwards said, like the proverbial bear with a sore head.

”Here's Mr Burnett prophesying all kinds of evil things about us.”

”Ah!” growled the mate. ”He didn't know any better. I never prophesy till after the thing has taken place. What did he say?”

”That we shall have the gunboat in here after us directly. What do you say to that?”

The mate's sour countenance expanded into a broad smile, and he came close up to the middy and clapped him on the shoulder.

”Good lad,” he said. ”I hope you are right.”

”Hope I'm right!” said Fitz, staring. ”Why, if she steams in within shot they'll make such practice with that gun that we shall be knocked all to pieces.”

”You mean they would if they got well within sight; but look for yourself. Where could they lay her to get a shot? I can't see.”

”No,” said Fitz thoughtfully, as he looked anxiously back and saw that they were thoroughly sheltered by projecting cliff and headland. ”I suppose they couldn't get within shot.”

”No. That's right, my lad; and they couldn't come in anything like near enough if it were all open water from here to where they are now.”

”What, is the water so shoal?” asked Fitz.

”Shoal? Yes,” growled the mate, his face growing sour again. ”We've nearly sc.r.a.ped the bottom over and over again. I only wish they'd try it. They'd be fast on some of those jags and splinters, and most likely with a hole in the bottom. My opinion, Captain Reed, is that if the skipper of that gunboat does venture in he'll never get out again; and that would suit us down to the ground. Bah--bah! He knows this coast too well, and he won't be such a fool as to try.”

”No,” said the skipper confidently; ”you are quite right, Burgess. He won't be such a fool as to try. But we must have a boat out at once to go back and watch, for I'm pretty sure that Don what's-his-name will be lowering a couple of his with armed crews to come in and scuttle us if they can't tow us out.”

”Ah, well, they can't do that,” said the mate coolly. ”They'd be meeting us on equal terms then, and you won't let them.”

”No,” said the skipper, smiling, as he turned to Fitz; ”I don't think we shall let them do that, Mr Burnett. My lads will be only too glad to receive the gunboat's crew on equal terms and send them back with a flea in their ears.”

”Ay,” said the mate, with a grunt; ”and quite right too. I think it is our turn to give them a bit of our mind, after the way in which they have been scuffling us about lately. Shall I go with the boat?”

”Yes, you'd better. Take the gig, and four men to row.”

”I can go, father?” cried Poole eagerly.

”Well, I don't know,” said the skipper. ”If you go, Mr Burnett here will want to be with you, and I know how particular he is as a young officer not to be seen having anything to do with our filibustering, as he calls it.”

Fitz frowned with annoyance, and seemed to give himself a regular s.n.a.t.c.h.

”You'd rather not go, of course?” continued the skipper dryly.

”I can't help wanting to go, Mr Reed,” replied the lad sharply; ”and if I went just as a spectator I don't see how I should be favouring any of your designs.”

”Well, no,” said the skipper dryly, ”if you put it like that. I don't see after all how you could be accused of turning buccaneer. But would you really like to go?”