[00:01.17] Chapter 21, attack.
[00:05.37] My lads, said the captain.
[00:08.64] Within the hour, we'll be under attack.
[00:13.22] We may be outnumbered, but we have the advantage of shelter.
[00:18.53] I've no doubt we can beat them if we fight like men.
[00:24.96] We began to make preparations.
[00:28.94] Doctor, you take the door and fire through the porch," said the captain.
[00:35.85] Grey and Mr.
[00:38.56] Traloni, you take the north side.
[00:42.22] It's there that the danger will come from.
[00:45.96] Hunter, take the east side, Joyce cover the west.
[00:51.32] Hawkins, you and I will stand by to load the guns.
[00:58.94] We waited.
[01:00.92] In an hour, the sun had crept above the treetops and the sand was baking hot.
[01:08.81] We stood at our posts in a fever of heat and nerves.
[01:14.74] For a long time, it was silent, till suddenly Joyce raised his musket and fired.
[01:21.86] In answer, a volley of shots came from every side of the stockade.
[01:29.00] Several bullets struck the log house, but none entered.
[01:35.98] Seconds later, the pirates burst out of the woods with a loud cry.
[01:42.23] They came from the north side, swarming over the fence like monkeys.
[01:49.57] The squire and Grey fired again and again.
[01:54.58] Three of the pirates fell to the ground, but four more had made it over the fence.
[02:03.39] They ran up the hill towards us, as their friends kept up a steady fire from the trees.
[02:12.67] I saw the head of Job Anderson, the Boson appear at one of the loopholes.
[02:20.25] Atom lads, atom!"
[02:23.78] He roared in a frenzy.
[02:29.59] At the same time, a pirate grabbed Hunter's musket through the loophole.
[02:36.74] With a stunning blow, he caught Hunter on the head and laid him out on the floor.
[02:43.71] Meanwhile, a third pirate appeared in the doorway and attacked the doctor with his cutlass.
[02:51.69] The log house was so full of smoke, it was hard to tell friend from enemy.
[02:58.65] Out lads, out and fight them in the open, cutlasses!" cried the captain.
[03:08.31] I snatched a cutlass from the pile and ran outside.
[03:15.49] In front of me, the doctor chased his attacker down the hill and sent him sprawling with a slash of his blade.
[03:25.52] Next moment, I found myself face to face with Anderson.
[03:31.23] He roared, and I saw his cutlass flash in the sun above his head.
[03:37.83] Just before the blow came, I lept to one side.
[03:43.92] I lost my footing in the sand and rolled down the hill.
[03:50.85] When I looked up, the attack was over.
[03:55.57] Grey had shot Anderson before he could recover.
[04:08.35] Another pirate had been shot through a loophole.
[04:14.74] Of the four who had entered the stockade, only one was left, and he was clambering back out in a hurry.
[04:25.02] Victory was ours, but it had been won at a heavy cost.
[04:33.41] Back in the log house, we found Hunter lying still stunned, while Joyce had been shot through the head.
[04:44.22] The squire was bent over the captain.
[04:49.35] He's wounded," said Traloni.
[04:54.83] Have they run?" asked Mr.
[04:59.12] Smollett.
[05:00.73] All that could, replied the doctor.
[05:04.98] There's five of them will never run again.
[05:10.52] Five!" cried the captain.
[05:14.58] Well done lads.
[05:17.78] Now it's nine of them against our four.