II
1.For half an hour after this the silence continued unbroken，so we went below for supper，intending to make a start for the mouth of the river whenever the swell on the bar was quieter.Soon Binnacle trundled down the ladder in red-hot haste.“The canoes are abroad again，sir；we hear them close，and the fog is thicker than ever.”So we all hurried on deck.
“I say，master，”said Sprawl，“the bar should be almost passable now for a light craft like this？”
“Certainly，”said Pumpbolt-“I do not doubt that it is；and if this mist would only clear away，I would undertake to take the Midge across it as sound as a bell.”
3.“What is that？”It was a rattle，as if a loose-purchase or fall had suddenly been shaken，so as to make theblocks clatter and then hauled taut .
Suddenly the mist thinned.“Look there！”I shouted.“It is a large schooner，one of those slaving villains，stealing past us under cover of the mist.There-there he is on our quarter！”
“Clear away both guns，”sang out the lieutenant.
The strange sail continued to glide noiselessly down the river.
4.“What vessel is that？”No answer.“Speak，or I will fire into you.”All silent.
Both cannons were discharged，and，as if by magic，the veil that had hid everything from our view rose from the river，disclosing suddenly the dark stream above and on each side of us covered with canoes；while the large schooner that we had fired into，instead of trying to escape over the bar，now shortened sail，and bore up across our bows，firing two guns and a volley of small-arms in passing.
5.“We are beset，Lanyard；that chap is the commander-in-chief.His object is not to escape，but to capture us，take my word for it，”cried Sprawl.“Forward，master，and look out for the channel.-Lanyard，let Brail take the helm；I will mind the sail.”
“Stand by to cut the cable；hoist away the sail there.All ready forward？”
“All ready，sir.”“Cut away，then.”
The clear axe glanced in the moonlight，and fell twice in heavy，gashing thumps，and the third time ina sharp，trenchantchip .The next moment the littlevessel slowly floated away with the current.“Hoist away there-hoist-haul aft the sheet.”
6.At that moment the breeze freshened.We wereabout a mile from the bar，on which the swell wasbreaking in thunder；but we had run clear of the mist，and the placid moon was shining bright overhead.Yells rose from the canoes，and a volley of spears was discharged at us，several of which fell on board，but without doing any injury.The strange sail was right in our path.
“What shall we do？”sang out old Pumpbolt from forward.
Trusting to the great strength of the Midge，Lanyard shouted，“Plump us right aboard of him，if you can’t do better；but creep under his stern，if you can.”
But the slaver would not give us the opportunity of doing either，for as he saw us booming along，aiming at him right amid-ships，he bore up，and stood right for the bar.
7.At this time we had a distinct view，not only ofour formidable antagonist，a large topsail schooner，apparently full of men，but also of the bar which we were about to pass，in such uncomfortable fellow-ship.The canal of deep water at which we aimed was about fifty yards wide.
“Do you see your marks now，Mr.Brail？”cried the master.
“Yes：we are running straight as an arrow for the channel.”
On the right hand and on the left the swell was by this time breaking in thunder，flashing up in snow-flakes and sending up a misty drizzle into the cold moonlight sky；but the channel right ahead was still comparatively quiet.
8.The schooner made an attempt to luff bows.
“Aim at him again，”sang out old Davie Double-pipe-“aim at him again，Lanyard；to heave to here is impossible.”
But once more，as we approached him，he kept away.We were now actually on the bar.The noise was astounding，deafening.The sea foamed and raged，and flew up in mist，and boiled in over our decks on eitherhand，as if we had been borne away in some phantom ship，that floated on white foam instead of water.We ran on，the strange sail on our lee-beam.
9.“Now is your chance！”shouted old Pumpbolt；“jamhim down against the long reef there.Up with your helm，Mr.Brail.”
“Ease off the sheet，”chimed in the first lieutenant.In an instant our broadsides were rasping.
“Starboard；shove him down，Mr.Brail！”again shrieked the master；“keep her away，and ram him on the reef there-time enough to luff when he strikes.”
I was fully alive to all this.The whole scene was nowbrightly lit up by the glorious moon，and we could perfectly see what we were about.We sheered close aboard of the schooner.
“Jam her on the reef！”again yelled the master.
10.I did so.Crash！the schooner struck.Her masts bent like willow wands，the cordage and blocks rattling，and then the foretop-mast went over the bows.The next sea broke over her in smoke，and hove her，broadside on，upon the reef；another shock，and the mainmast was over the side.The sea was making a fair breach over her；and while the cries of the unfortunatesaboard of her rent the air，we all at once slid out of theturmoil of dashing waves，and rose buoyantlyon thelong smooth swell that was rolling in from the offing.