“You’ve plenty of hands on board, mate,” said Bramble.

“Yes, plenty of them, such as they are; we’ve twenty of the ship’s company, and twenty-five passengers from Malta.”

After breakfast the captain ordered up the small-arm men; five seamen and fifteen of the passengers made their appearance with their muskets, which were examined, and they were dismissed.  At eleven o’clock, as we neared the land, the men were ordered to quarters, the guns cast loose, and they were exercised as on board of a man-of-war, the captain giving his orders with his speaking-trumpet.  “Double-shot your guns!  Run out!  Point your guns!  Fire!  Repel boarders on the bow!  Repel boarders on the quarter!” etc.  This continued for more than two hours, when the guns were again secured.

“Well, pilot,” said the captain to Bramble, “what do you think? do you fancy a privateer could take us in a hurry?”

“Why, captain, if the men fight, I should say not; but, you see, these guns, handsome as they are, won’t fight of themselves.”

“I’ll answer for the men fighting; they’ll have but their choice—­fight, or the contents of my pistol through the first man’s head who quits his gun.  I’ll nail the colors to the mast, and see who will be the man who will haul them down.  Why, pilot, this vessel is insured at thirty thousand pounds.”

“Then she’ll be a famous prize, if they should contrive to take her, that’s all,” said Bramble.  “Halloo! what vessel’s that coming down?  Tom, hand your glass here.”

“I haven’t got it with me.”

“Well, give me that one on the skylight.  I can’t make her out, but I don’t much like the looks of her.”

“Heh! what’s that?” said the captain.  “Let me look—­oh, she’s a square-rigged vessel, ain’t she?”

“Can’t tell,” said Bramble.

The mate, who had fetched his glass from below, looked at her, and said it was a coasting schooner.

“Are you sure of that?” said the captain.  “Let me see.  Well, I don’t know what to say—­she does look rakish.  I’ll go forward and make her out.”

“Why, it’s a coaster, Bramble,” said I, as the captain walked forward.

“I know that,” replied Bramble, with a wink.

The captain returned, probably satisfied that it was only a coaster, but he did not choose to say so, “Well, I don’t know what to make of her, but at all events there’s nothing like being ready.  She’s coming down fast upon us; Mr. Stubbs, we’ll beat to quarters.”

Again the people were called up and the guns cast loose; the powder was handed up, and all was preparation.  I did not think, however, that the passengers appeared at all zealous; but that I was not surprised at:  the captain harangued them, calling them Britons, etc., and, hoping that they would show what stuff they were made of; talked about the honor of Old England, and a great deal more, and then examined the vessel again with his glass.  “We’ll give her the starboard broadside, and then wear round his stern and give her the other.  Hoist the colors!”