Part 19 (1/2)

”Not much!” exclaimed Donovan. ”We'll fight first!”

”Capt. Mazard,” continued Raed, ”I'm really sorry to have been the means of placing you in such a predicament. 'The Curlew' will undoubtedly be condemned if seized. They would clap a prize-crew into her the first thing, and start her for England. But there's no need of giving her up to them. That's not a s.h.i.+p-of-war. We've got arms, and can fight as well as they. We can beat off that boat, I'll be bound to say: and as for their s.h.i.+p, I don't believe they'll care to take her up here between the islands; and if they do,--why, we can sail away from them. But, for my own part, I had rather fight, and take an even chance of being killed, than be taken prisoner, and spend five months below decks.”

”Fight it is, then!” exclaimed the captain doggedly.

By this time the boat was pulling up the channel to the north of the ice-field, within a mile of us.

”We might crowd sail, and stand away to the north of the islands here,” I argued.

”Yes; but we don't know how this roadstead ends farther on,” replied Raed.

”It may be choked up with ice or small islets,” said Kit. ”In that case we should run into a trap, where they would only have to follow us to be sure of us. We might abandon the schooner, and get ash.o.r.e; but that would be nearly as bad as being taken prisoner--on this coast.”

”Here's clear sailing round this ice-field,” remarked the captain. ”My plan is to keep their s.h.i.+p on the opposite of it from us. If they give chase, we'll sail round it.”

”But how about their boat?” demanded Wade.

”We must beat it off!” exclaimed the captain determinedly.

”Then we've not a moment to lose!” cried Raed.--”Here, Donovan! help me move the howitzer to the stern.--Kit, you and Wash and Wade get up the muskets and load them. Bring up the cartridges, and get caps and everything ready.”

The howitzer went rattling into the stern, and was pointed out over the taffrail. The big rifle followed it. To the approaching boat their muzzles must have looked a trifle grim, I fancy. Matches and splints were got ready, as well as wads and b.a.l.l.s. The muskets were charged, and the bayonets fixed. The schooner was kept moving gradually along at about the same distance from the ice. Bonney was stationed at the wheel, and Corliss at the sheets. Old Trull stood by the howitzer. The rest of us took each a musket, and formed in line along the after-bulwarks. Palmleaf, who in the midst of these martial preparations had been enjoying a pleasant after-breakfast snooze, was now called, and bade to stand by Corliss at the sheets. His astonishment at the sight which the deck presented to his lately-awakened optics was very great; the greater, that no one would take the trouble to answer his anxious questions.

The boat had now come up to within a quarter of a mile. With cutla.s.ses flas.h.i.+ng, and oars dipping all together, they came closing in with a long, even stroke.

”We don't want them much within a hundred yards of us,” said Capt.

Mazard in a low tone.

”I'll hail them,” replied Raed, taking the speaking-trumpet, which the captain had brought along.

The crisis was close at hand. We clutched the stocks of our rifles, and stood ready. There was, I am sure, no blenching nor flinching from the encounter which seemed imminent. We could see the faces of the men in the boat, the red face of the officer in the stern. The men were armed with carbines and broad sabers. They had come within easy hail.

”Present arms!” commanded Capt. Mazard in clear tones.

Eight of us, with our rifles, stood fast.

”Repel _boarders_!”

Instantly we dropped on one knee, and brought our pieces to bear over the rail, the bayonets flas.h.i.+ng as brightly as their own.

”Boat ahoy!” shouted Raed through the trumpet.

”Ahoy yourself!” roared the red-faced man in the stern. ”What s.h.i.+p is that, anyway?”

This was rather insulting talk: nevertheless, Raed answered civilly and promptly,--

”The schooner-yacht 'Curlew' of Portland.”

”Where bound? What are you doing here?”

”Bound on a cruise into Hudson Bay!” responded Raed coolly; ”for scientific purposes,” he added.