DISAGREEABLE WISITORS. 61

“Ef dem yeller scoun’rels surroun’ us fore an’ aft,
wha’s we gwine fur to be when de gun am shot off?”

«We'll get some service out of the old piece, and trust
to luck for disabling as many of the craft as possible.
After that, uncle, it’s a question of our handling
revolvers mighty lively.”

It was evident the steward had very little faith in the
six-pounder, and, from his uneasy movements when the
young captain suggested his being called upon to use a
revolver, he possibly doubted his own ability to make
much of a defence.

The cannon had been placed on the quarter-deck, and
it was there Ben proposed to marshal his little force.

Any attempt to prevent the brig being boarded, in case
the natives should make a simultaneous attack from every
side, would be useless with the small number of defenders,
therefore the young captain had decided that if a struggle
should ensue he must be prepared to meet it on the
quarter-deck.

The companionway would serve as a convenient place
for Miss Dunham to remain, if she insisted on taking
part in the battle, for there Ben could force her to be
partially sheltered, and on the stairs was laid the ammu-
nition, where it would be most readily gotten at.

As a matter of course, Ben had no desire for a pitched
battle, and even while making these preparations for
defence, he was trying to decide how it might be
avoided.

To land now in search of sailors would be the height