"I can't." "I can," said the man; "and as my pokers are all hot, I mean to have a snack." The boys' great dread was that they would be sent below, and consequently they kept out of the captain's way, and saw all that was going on, till the cutter was within a few hundred yards; and then, all at once, the wind failed her, and she lay as motionless as the two smugglers.

The same fate had befallen Daygo in his boat, he being a mile away; but they saw that he had put out his oars, and was rowing.
"Going to board us," said the cook, with a sigh.

"Now the fun's going to begin." For two boats dropped from the cutter's sides, and the boys saw an officer in uniform in each, with a couple of red-coated marines, whose pieces glistened in the morning sunshine, as did the arms of the sailors.
But they saw something else as well.

At a word from the captain, a dozen of the men went on hands and knees to the arm chest, each sailor in turn taking a cutlass, pistols, and cartridge pouch, and crawling back under the shelter of the bulwarks to load.
Vince drew a deep sigh, and his face was flushed, while Mike looked of a sallow white.
"Then there'll be a fight ?" said the latter.
"Ay, there'll be a fight," said the cook.

"We're in for it now; but unless it's done with the big guns they won't take the _Marie_." "Why ?" said Vince.