"I may be wrong," said Bulger to Desmond, "but I don't believe kedgin'
was ever done so far from harbor afore. I allers thought there was
something in that long head of Mr. Toley, though, to be sure, there en't
no call for him to pull a long face, too."
An hour passed after the loading had been stopped. All on board the Good
Intent remained silent, speaking, if they spoke at all, in whispers.
There had been no signs of the expected attack. Desmond was leaning on
the gunwale, straining his eyes for a glimpse of the enemy. But his ears
gave him the first intimation of their approach. He heard a faint
creaking, as of oars in rowlocks, and stepped back to where Bulger was
leaning against the mast.
"There they come," he said.
The sound had already reached Captain Barker's ears. It was faint;
doubtless the oars were muffled. The ship was rolling lazily; save for
the creaking nothing was heard but the lapping of the ripples against the
hull. So still was the night that the slightest sound must travel far,
and the captain remarked in a whisper to Mr. Toley that he guessed the
approaching boats to be at least six cables' lengths distant.
Officers and men listened intently. The creaking grew no louder; on the
contrary, it gradually became fainter, and at last died away. There was a
long silence, broken only by what sounded like a low hail some
considerable distance away.
"They're musterin' the boats," said Bulger, with a chuckle.
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