"
If you can? You mean that they may fire on you?"
"I can't tell what they may do. But I must deal fair."
Joan's face was grave. "Very well, I will wait for you here."
"They might hit you."
"But no. They can't hit a wall. Go on, my dear." They saluted, and,
as Lafarge turned away, Joan said, with a little mocking laugh,
"Tell him that he must surrender, or we'll sink him before supper."
Lafarge nodded, and drew away quickly towards the tug. His interview
with Mr. Martin was brief, and he had tendered his resignation, though it
was disgracefully informal, and was over the side of the boat again and
rowing quickly away before his chief recovered his breath. Then Mr.
Martin got a large courage. He called on his men to fire when Lafarge
was about two hundred and fifty feet from the tug. The shots rattled
about him. He turned round coolly and called out, "Coward-we'll sink you
before supper!"
A minute afterwards there came another shot, and an oar dropped from his
hand. But now Joan was rowing rapidly towards him, and presently was
alongside.
"Quick, jump inhere," she said. He did so, and she rowed on quickly.
Tarboe did not understand, but now his blood was up, and as another
volley sent bullets dropping around the two he gave the Ninety-Nine to
the wind, and she came bearing down smartly to them. In a few moments
they were safely on board, and Joan explained.
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