ith some cushions and a grating to keep her feet off any moisture
which might have oozed out of the casks, Dan secured the lantern, as he
proposed, to a sugar cask, while Owen pressed Norah's hand.

"Hope for the best, dearest," he whispered. "I'd have given worlds to
save you from this; but we can trust to One who rules all things for
protection, and we may still escape the threatened danger. A calm may
come on before the Frenchman gets up with us, or an English ship of
superior force may heave in sight--hope for the best; I must stay no
longer. Gerald, you heard the captain's orders--let nothing induce you
to quit your sister. I know your spirit, and that you'd rather be on
deck; but your duty is to remain below, and by doing your duty, however
much against the grain it may be, you'll be showing truer courage than
by going where round shot and bullets may be flying round your head like
hail."

"You are right, Mr Massey, and you may depend on my not quitting Norah,
whatever happens;" and Gerald sat himself down on a tub which Dan had
placed for him, and resolutely folded his arms as if he felt that in no
other way could he keep his post. The next moment Owen sprang upon
deck, followed by Dan. Never before had Owen Massey been so anxious to
avoid a fight--indeed, all on board were, for various reasons, much of
the same mind. Captain Tracy was resolved to escape if he could, and to
fight only if it would enable him to do so. The hope that a British
ship of war might heave in sight had only just occurred to Owen when
below with Norah, and as soon as he returned on deck he went up to the
mast-head, almost expecting to see another ship standing towards the
enemy; but though he swept the whole horizon with his glass, not a sail
appeared in sight, and he had quickly to descend to attend to his
duties. The crew, meantime, were bringing up powder and shot from
below, and loading the guns. Two of the longest pieces had already been
run out astern; they were of brass, and of small bore, but were able to
send a shot as far as most guns in use in those days. The others were
smaller pieces, carried for the purpose of defending the ship, should
she be attacked by any of the picaroons, at that time the pest of the
Caribbean Sea. When Owen again looked out, he saw that the enemy had
considerably overhauled them since he went below. Had he before
entertained any doubt about the character of the vessel chasing them, it
comp