id the young captain, with a smile, "I advise
you not to be in too much of a hurry about it, for you will feel
somewhat mortified if we reach Wauparmur, after all, and you find you
have cast your whole wealth into the sea."

"I shan't lose my head," said the mate, with a laugh, "unless one of
them takes it off."

Inez Hawthorne was silent at the prow of the proa, where she was
looking for the longed-for sail, which, alas! was never to appear, for
she, too, had come to believe there was no other hope for her and her
friends.

Mate Storms and Captain Fred happened to turn their heads at the same
moment, and were looking at the double proa coming up with them very
rapidly, when each uttered an exclamation, for they suddenly saw a red
flash at the prow of the boat, a puff of smoke, and then the report of
a musket reached them almost at the same instant that the whistle of
the bullet through the rigging was heard.

"By George, they are firing at us!" said Fred, as if it was not the
most natural thing in the world for them to do.

"Yes, and they're aiming pretty well, too, for that shot went through
the sail!"

"I hardly supposed they were near enough to do that, but they are in
earnest. Wouldn't it be a good idea to reply to their hail?"

"It would, most undoubtedly!"

Putting up his glass, Captain Fred dived forward, brought out one of
the muskets, and taking deliberate aim, fired at the approaching
craft.

His shot was a fortunate one, too, for the cry which instantly
followed showed that some one was struck. The others did not fire
again for some time, but seemed to concentrate all their energies and
attention upon the pursuit, which was turning more and more every
minute in their favor.

"I don't see any escaping a fight," said Fred Sanders. "Inez says she
hasn't caught a glimpse of a sail, and I am sure she won't. We may as
well bring our guns here and be ready to repel boarders."

CHAPTER XXXV

WAUPARMUR

Oftener than we suppose does heaven interfere directly in the affairs
of men. Minutes had passed since Sanders and Storms had agreed that no
earthly occurrence could avert a fight with the dusky demons, with
scarcely a grain of hope for escape from them, when Inez uttered the
astounding exclamation:

"We are gaining on them!"

It was inconceivable, and the two looked again to the rear to learn
the cause of her unaccountable delusion. Five minutes later Sanders
added in a husky gasp:

"S