orders briskly as ever. While he and his hands were setting every rag
the ship could carry on that tack, the other officers, having unluckily
no orders to execute, stood gloomy and helpless, with their eyes glued,
by a sort of sombre fascination, on that coming fate. . . .

Realize the situation, and the strange incongruity between the senses and
the mind in these poor fellows! The day had ripened its beauty; beneath
a purple heaven shone, sparkled, and laughed a blue sea, in whose waves
the tropical sun seemed to have fused his beams; and beneath that fair,
sinless, peaceful sky, wafted by a balmy breeze over those smiling,
transparent, golden waves, a bloodthirsty Pirate bore down on them with a
crew of human tigers; and a lady babble babble babble babble babble
babble babbled in their quivering ears.

But now the captain came bustling on deck, eyed the loftier sails, saw
they were drawing well, appointed four midshipmen in a staff to convey
his orders; gave Bayliss charge of the carronades, Grey of the cutlasses,
and directed Mr. Tickell to break the bad news gently to Mrs. Beresford,
and to take her below to the orlop deck; ordered the purser to serve out
beef, biscuit, and grog to all hands, saying, "Men can't work on an empty
stomach: and fighting is hard work;" then beckoned the officers to come
round him. "Gentlemen," said he, confidentially, "in crowding sail on
this ship I had no hope of escaping that fellow on this tack, but I was,
and am, most anxious to gain the open sea, where I can square my yards
and run for it, if I see a chance. At present I shall carry on till he
comes up within range: and then, to keep the Company's canvas from being
shot to rags, I shall shorten sail; and to save ship and cargo and all
our lives, I shall fight while a plank of her swims. Better to be killed
in hot blood than walk the plank in cold."