"Take Hilton's oar!" added Mr. Pennant, as with his right arm he
drew the wounded man back into the stern sheets.
The progress of the boat was hardly interrupted by the volley, and in
less than a minute after the discharge of the muskets, her stem struck
the bow of the sloop, though not till the lieutenant had checked her
headway, and ordered the men to stand by to board the rebellious craft.
The quartermaster made fast to the sloop, and then grasped his cutlass.
"Lay her aboard!" shouted Mr. Pennant; and Vincent led the way, leaping
directly into the midst of the eight men in the standing room.
"Do you surrender?" asked the lieutenant of the principal man on the
forecastle as he came alongside of him.
"I don't see that we can help ourselves," replied the spokesman in
a surly tone; for the prospect before him was not very pleasant,
especially as a volley had been fired from the sloop, presumably by his
order, for he was the one who had made the threat in the first place.
"Don't strike, my men; they have surrendered," continued Mr. Pennant
with a gesture to his men.
"This is an outrage," said the man on the forecastle, who could not help
seeing that the whole party were in a fair way to be annihilated if they
made any further resistance.
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