The pirate had gained another quarter of a mile and more. The ship's crew
were hard at their beef and grog, and agreed among themselves it was a
comfortable ship. They guessed what was coming, and woe to the ship in
that hour if the captain had not won their respect. Strange to say, there
were two gentlemen in the _Agra_ to whom the pirate's approach was not
altogether unwelcome. Colonel Kenealy and Mr. Fullalove were rival
sportsmen and rival theorists. Kenealy stood out for a smooth bore and a
four-ounce ball; Fullalove for a rifle of his own construction. Many a
doughty argument they had, and many a bragging match; neither could
convert the other. At last Fullalove hinted that by going ashore at the
Cape, and getting each behind a tree at one hundred yards, and popping at
one another, one or other would be convinced
"Well, but," said Kenealy, "if he is dead, he will be no wiser. Besides,
to a fellow like me, who has had the luxury of popping at his enemies,
popping at a friend is poor insipid work."
"That is true," said the other regretfully. "But I reckon we shall never
settle it by argument.
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