Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/271

 we fire we shall alarm those in the cave, and have less time to get under weigh."

"What is to be done with Letta while we attack?" asked Robin.

"I 'll wait here till you come for me," said Letta, with a sad little smile on her tear-bedewed face; "I 'm quite used to see fighting."

"Good, keep close, and don't move from this spot till we come for you, my little heroine," said Sam. "Now, boys, follow me in single file—tread like mice—don't hurry. There 's nothing like keeping cool."

"Not much use o' saying that to a feller that 's red-hot," growled Slagg, as he stood with a flushed face, a revolver in one hand and a cutlass in the other.

Sam, armed similarly, glided to the extreme verge of the bushes, between which and the water there was a space of about thirty yards. With a quiet cat-like run he crossed this space, rushed up the plank gangway, and leaped upon the deck, with his comrades close at his heels. The sentinel was taken completely by surprise, but drew his sword nevertheless, and sprang at Sam with a shout.

The latter, although not a professional warrior, had been taught at school, and was an expert swordsman. He parried the pirate's furious thrust, and gave him what is technically termed cut