you."

Mr Falconer treated the two mates with great kindness, and did his best
to make them comfortable, not doubting the truth of their story. They
had farther added, that as soon as they had been sent off from the side
of the ship, the mutineers hoisted the black flag, with three cheers,
announcing that they intended to turn pirates and attack ships of all
nations.

From their account, there remained no doubt that the _Juno_ was the ship
which had lately engaged the _Dolphin_, and met with so awful, though
well-deserved a fate. They also told us that the _Juno_ had been about
to enter a harbour a short distance off, when two men-of-war were seen,
with their lower masts only standing, that several boats had been sent
out in chase of the ship, but, a breeze springing up, she had escaped.

This confirmed what Mr Falconer had heard from the Spaniards, and made
the captain thankful that he had listened to his advice.

The next day we stood in to the mouth of the harbour, when the boats
were sent on shore, each carrying half a dozen torches. Our prisoners
were in a great fright on seeing this, saying that the friars would very
probably be unable to collect the money, and earnestly urging that we
would remain two or three days longer at anchor before setting fire to
the town.

"We are not to be so caught, seignors," answered the captain, laughing
grimly. "If your friends bring the dollars, well and good; if not, we
will make a bonfire which will light the two frigates you expect into
the harbour."

Away the boats pulled, one only being left alongside, in which the
governor and his companions were ordered to seat themselves. We waited
anxiously for some time, when wreaths of smoke were seen to ascend from
various parts of the town, and the whole place was shortly in a blaze.
The captain considered himself very humane, when he allowed his
prisoners, after having been stripped of nearly every particle of
clothing, to be put on shore on the nearest point. This he did to
revenge himself for the loss of the expected dollars, which he knew, on
seeing the town set on fire, had not been obtained.

Scarcely had the boats returned and been hoisted up, when two large
ships were seen steering for the entrance of the harbour. Every stitch
of canvas the _Dolphin_ could carry was set. The strangers, on seeing
her, made all sail in chase, and, from the way that they overhauled her,
there appeared but little prospect of her es