"An excellent plan, sir, I think," answered Simpson.  "Boardin' and bein' boarded are two very different things; and although them chaps may be ready enough to follow their skipper on to our decks, it'll take a good deal of the fight out of them if they finds that we're beforehand with 'em, and that they've got to defend their own ship instead of attackin' us.  I'll go and see everything ready to give 'em a warm reception when they comes alongside."