Now, boys, give three cheers for the old flag, and we will swear together it shall never come down while there's one of us to fight the ship.' "The men gave three cheers and then went off to their quarters at the guns.

They were quiet and grave, and it was easy enough to see that they did not like the prospect.

An Englishman always goes into action, as far as I have seen, with a light heart and a joke on his lips when he's fighting against Frenchmen or Spaniards or any other foe, but it's a different thing when it's a pirate he has to deal with.

Every man knows then that it's a case of life or death, and that he's got to win or die.
The enemy made no secret of what they were, for when they got within a mile of us two black flags ran up to their mastheads.
"The captain he trained one of the stern chasers hisself, and the first mate took the other.

They fired at the same moment, both aiming at the schooner, which was getting the nearest to us.