He thought he recognized the voice from the strange vessel.
"Come, what do ye standing there, fool?
Spring to the ropes here!" cried the furious captain.
But Israel did not stir.
Meantime the confusion on board the stranger, owing to the hurried lowering of her boat, with the cloudiness of the sky darkening the misty sea, united to conceal the bold manoeuvre of the cutter.

She had almost gained full headway ere an oblique shot, directed by mere chance, struck her stern, tearing the upcurved head of the tiller in the hands of the cabin-boy, and killing him with the splinters.

Running to the stump, the captain huzzaed, and steered the reeling ship on.

Forced now to hoist back the boat ere giving chase, the stranger was dropped rapidly astern.
All this while storms of maledictions were hurled on Israel.

But their exertions at the ropes prevented his shipmates for the time from using personal violence.