about four in the morning
We pulled back to the brig and immediately prepared two boats for the expedition . I selected twenty-four men for the job , leaving ten to guard the brig. 'T was a question whether Fincham or Punchard should be placed in charge of the second boat , but Joe pleaded so hard to have a hand in the venture -LRB- animated as much by his love of action as by his promise to Mistress Lucy , of which I as yet knew nothing -RRB- that I decided to leave Fincham in command of the vessel . If the buccaneers numbered sixty , as I had been told , we had heavy odds against us ; but with the advantage of surprise I hoped that our twenty-four picked men would prove equal to more than twice their number of a mixed lot who had nothing but their common crimes to hind them together . 'T was about four in the morning , under a waning moon , when we again came within sight of the enemy 's vessel . We rowed dead slow in order to avoid noise , and had come within half a cable 's length of her , and I was on the point of ordering my men to give way for a dash , when I was surprised to hear voices from the deck , and the creaking of davit blocks . 'T was clear the buccaneers were letting down a boat . I whispered my men to ship oars , and waited with no little anxiety .