"Ve can shtandt all dot kindt oof shooding dot dey gif us," said Carl.
"They'll not give us that kind right along, mate. I don't think they'll put any shells into us between wind and water, but they'll bang away at the deck houses."
By then the schooner had crossed the stern of the wreck and was making ready to tack about and come up on the other side.
"They're going to put a few shots into us from starboard," hazarded Dick.
"Couldn't ve pick off some oof dose fellers mit der rifles?" queried Carl.
"We could," replied Dick, "but we're not going to. We've got the right of this, now, and if we shot anybody we'd be in the wrong almost as much as Sixty. We'll let the old scoundrel play his hand, and see what it amounts to."
The boys could see that those on the schooner had loaded both guns. Two men stood by ready to fire them, but neither was discharged.
"Vy don'd dey shoot?" asked Carl. "Vat vas dey hanging pack for?"
"Ah!" muttered Dick, "they're getting a couple of boats in the water."
"They're going to close in. Get your rifle, Carl. From the looks of things, mate, we're going to have hot work."
"I'm a Britisher, and I don't know the word!" answered Dick.
"Me, neider," said Carl. "I vas American mit a Dutch accent, aber I don'd gif in to dot gang. Led dem shood deir olt headts off."
"Our heads will be the ones they'll try to shoot off."
Rifles in hand, the boys watched the boats as they struck the water. Five men tumbled into each of them, and the men were all armed.
"We're making them take a lot of trouble, mate," said he.
"Oof ve hat a gun like vat dey got, py shinks, ve vould gif dem as mooch fighdt as dey vanted. Ah, ha! der poats iss shtarting dis vay, und vone iss coming py der front oof der wreck und der odder py der rear end. Now vat you t'ink iss going to habben?"
"We're about at the end of our rope, Carl," said Dick. "Those boats are going to board us under cover of a couple of shots from the big guns. The outlook is getting dark. This way! We'll get down the main hatch into the 'tween decks. After the broadside, we'll come up again and fight off the boats."
It was not a time for words. The gunners on the schooner were preparing to fire, and if Dick and Carl got out of the way they would have to hurry.