nned under charge of the three mates and the boatswain. Jonas Webb
and Dick went in Mr Falconer's boat.

Those who remained on board anxiously watched for their return,
expecting, as the night was light, to see them towing out their prizes.

Some hours passed by, when the rattle of musketry and the boom of great
guns came over the calm waters.

"Why, that fellow Webb mast have deceived me!" exclaimed the captain,
stamping about the deck in a state of agitation. "Falconer was right.
There will be more glory, as he will call it, than profit in the
expedition. Bah! I cannot afford to lose men."

Eager eyes were looking out for the expected ships. They did not
appear, but at last first one boat and then another was seen emerging
from the gloom.

"Well, gentlemen, what has become of the whalers?" exclaimed the
captain, as the two first mates stepped on deck.

"The Spaniards peppered us too hotly to enable us to tow them out, sir,
and the wind afforded no help," was the answer. "I am afraid Mr
Falconer's boat, too, has got into a mess--he had taken one of the
whalers, but would not leave his prize, though I suspect several of his
men were killed or wounded."

"Was Mr Falconer himself hit?" asked Mrs Podgers, who had come up to
hear the news.

"I cannot say, ma'am," answered the first mate. "His boat must have
been terribly mauled, and I am afraid that she must have been sunk, or
that her crew must have been taken prisoners. I cannot otherwise
account for his not following us."

I had hold of Miss Kitty's hand. I felt it tremble; she seemed to be
gasping for breath.

"You should have gone back and looked for them," said the captain, who
had judgment enough to know that the third mate was one of the best
officers in the ship.

"Oh! do, do so!" exclaimed Miss Kitty, scarcely aware of what she was
saying. "It was cowardly and cruel to leave them behind."

"Not far wrong," growled the captain, who, if not brave himself, wished
his subordinates to fight well--as has been the case with other leaders
in higher positions.

The mates were returning to their boats when the shout was raised that
the fourth boat was appearing. She came on slowly, as if with a
crippled crew. Kitty leaned against the bulwarks for support.

"Send down slings; we have some wounded men here," said a voice which I
recognised as Dick's.

"Let the others go first," said another voice. "They are more hurt than
I am."

Miss Kitty