Page:A Sailor Boy with Dewey.djvu/245

Rh "Certainly we will!" cried Dan, and Matt Gory and I said the same.

There was no time to talk further, and we hastened to look about the Dart to learn how we were to defend the schooner from attack. The howitzer Watt Brown had mentioned was already loaded, and the second mate said he would attend to the piece himself if only we would look after the small-arms; said small-arms being eight muskets, all loaded, lying in a row by the rail, alongside of a biscuit box full of cartridges!

"Sure an ye are afther bein' a whole company of marines in wan!" observed Matt Gory, as he surveyed the preparations. "It puts me in mind o' the man as used to go around Irish fairs playing a dhrum, a fife, and fiddle, an' a hurdy-gurdy all in wan, wid the sweetest music"

"They are coming, and we haven't a minute to lose," interrupted Dan, and took up two of the guns. "Keep out of sight, boys, or they may pick us off at long range!"

"I would like to have a look through your glasses," I said, and he readily handed them over. My eyes are good, and as I gazed at the junk I saw she had lowered all of her sails and was dropping a small boat into the sea.

"They are coming over here, for sure," I said.

"Let me take a look," said Dan, and took the