We saw a _kayak_ go off from you not an hour ago." Not caring to bandy words, Raed made no reply; and we knelt there, with our muskets covering them, in silence.

They had stopped rowing.
and were falling behind a little; for "The Curlew" plowed leisurely on.
"Why don't you heave to ?" shouted the irate commander of the boat.

"I must look at your papers! Heave to while I come alongside!" "You can't bring that armed boat alongside of this schooner!" replied Raed.

"No objections to your examining our papers; but we're not green enough to let you bring an armed crew aboard of us." "Then we shall come without _letting_! Give way there!" But his men hesitated.

The sight of our muskets, and old Trull holding a blazing splinter over the howitzer, was a little too much even for the sturdy pluck of English sailors.
"Bring that boat another length nearer," shouted Raed, slow and distinctly, "and we shall open fire on you!" "The devil you will!" "Yes, we will!" At that we all cocked our muskets.