He was confident in his power to beat off the two privateers, and he therefore did not add a stitch of canvas to the easy sail under which he had been holding on all night.
Presently a puff of smoke shot out from the bow of the schooner from the weather quarter, followed almost instantaneously by one from her consort.

Two round shot struck up the water, the one under the Indiaman's stern, the other under her forefoot.
"The rascals are well within range," the captain said quietly.

"See, they are taking off canvas again.

They intend to keep at that distance, and hammer away at us.

Just what I thought would be their tactics." Two more shots were fired by the schooners.