‘To tell you the truth, sir, I was so astonished at our sheering off that I have scarcely had time to relish the joke.’ ‘Why,’ said Jack, smiling, ‘what would you have had us do? Ram her?’ ‘I was persuaded that we were about to attack,’ said James passionately. ‘I was persuaded that was your intention. I was delighted.’ ‘A fourteen-gun brig against a thirty-two-gun frigate? You are not speaking in earnest?’ ‘Certainly. When they were hoisting in their launch and half their people were busy in the rigging our broadside and small-arms would have cut them to pieces, and with this breeze we should
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