At the same moment the sheet-strop parted, and away went the main-boom, broken short at the rigging.
Impulsively I sprang to the jib-halyards and down-haul, and instantly downed the jib.

The head-sail being off, and the helm put hard down, the sloop came in the wind with a bound.

While shivering there, but a moment though it was, I got the mainsail down and secured inboard, broken boom and all.

How I got the boom in before the sail was torn I hardly know; but not a stitch of it was broken.

The mainsail being secured, I hoisted away the jib, and, without looking round, stepped quickly to the cabin and snatched down my loaded rifle and cartridges at hand; for I made mental calculations that the pirate would by this time have recovered his course and be close aboard, and that when I saw him it would be better for me to be looking at him along the barrel of a gun.