"See that your pistols and cutlasses are ready for use," said the third
lieutenant, in a tone loud enough to be heard by the crew only.
"We are all private citizens," added the sloop's spokesman.
"No matter what you are; I propose to overhaul you and judge for myself
what you are," answered the officer in command of the cutter. "Let go
your sheet, skipper!"
Instead of obeying the order, the boatman hauled in his sheet, and the
sloop began to fill away. Mr. Pennant could form no idea of what the
party were. It was possible that they were private citizens, and
non-combatants; if they were, they had only to prove they were such by
submitting to a further inquiry.
"Stand by, my men! Give way together, lively!" shouted the lieutenant as
though he intended that those on board of the sloop should hear him as
well as his own crew.
The cutter darted ahead; but she had not advanced half the distance
before the men on board of the sloop fired a volley with muskets at the
approaching boat. Mr. Pennant dropped his left arm very suddenly, and
the stroke oarsman went down into the bottom of the boat.
"Come aft, Kingston!" called the third lieutenant to the nearest man in
the bow, and the one indicated crawled aft with all the haste he could
make.
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