an; "and I'm to tell you
that if you do not give up at once, you will all be driven off, and you
must expect no mercy then."

The colonel glanced at the General, who nodded, and the former said,
half-mockingly--

"Tell your leaders we are here, and if the King of Spain wishes for this
part of his Britannic Majesty's possessions, he will have to send a
stronger force than you have brought, to take it; and as for you, my
friend, your position as a kind of envoy protects you; but if I were you
I should be careful. Your speech tells me plainly that you have been a
sailor."

"Well, suppose I have," said the man, sharply.

"And I should say that you have deserted, and become a renegade."

"What?"

"I would not speak so harshly to you, but your conduct warrants it. An
Englishman to come with such cowardly proposals to your
fellow-countrymen! Faugh!"

The man seemed to grow yellow as he gazed at the colonel; then, turning
away, he spoke hurriedly to the two Spanish officers, who stood gazing
at our party for a few moments, then bowed, and stalked back.

"Well, Preston," said the General; "shall we have to give up?"

"To them?" cried the colonel, sharply. "No! Do you know what Bruton
will say?"

"How can I?"

"Well, sir, he will say, `let them come, and if they drive us out of
here, we will retire into the forest.' But, bah! I am not afraid. All
Spanish bombast. Ah, young Bruton, what do you say to this?" he
continued, as they entered the gates, and he caught sight of me.

"I'm not old enough to say anything about it," I replied; "but I think a
great deal."

"And what do you think?" said the General, smiling, as he laid his hand
upon my shoulder.

"That they will be afraid to fight, sir."

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE.

A strict watch was kept on the Spaniards, while everything possible was
done in the way of preparation for an attack, possibly a double attack
for aught we knew. It was quite probable that, in spite of their
defeat, the Indians would return that night, perhaps in greater
strength, to come on just at the same time as the Spaniards.

"And then," said Morgan, "what the officers ought to do is to keep us
all out of the way, and let 'em fight it out between them."

But that such an encounter was not likely to occur I soon saw, for the
Spaniards after a long talk together slowly marched back to their boats,
and rowed to the ship lying at anchor in the river; and after a night of
watchfulne