made room for him; the hooks were cast off, the oars
dipped, and the stout ash blades were soon quivering as the men bent to
their work with their short, sharp, chopping stroke which sent the boat
rapidly over the waves.

"I don't see the Yankee captain," said Mr Munday, searching the side of
the vessel, which was now flying English colours.

"You think that fellow with the lugger was the captain?" asked Murray.

"Not a doubt of it," was the reply. "I wonder what he'll have the
impudence to say."

"He'll sing a different song, sir," said Roberts, "if he is on board."

"If? Why, of course he'll be on board; eh, Murray?"

"Most likely, sir; but won't he be playing fox in some fresh way? He
may be in hiding."

"If he is he'll come out when he finds a prize crew on board, and that
his schooner is on its way to Capecoast Castle or the Cape. But I don't
see him, nor any of the sharp-looking fellows who formed his lugger's
crew."

"No, sir," said Murray, who was standing up shading his eyes with his
hand. "I hope--"

The middy stopped short.

"Well, go on, sir," cried the lieutenant--"hope what?"

"That we are not making a mistake."

"Oh, impossible! There can't be two of such schooners."

"But we only had a glimpse of the other, sir, as she sailed down the
river half hidden by the trees," said Murray.

"Look here, Mr Murray, if you can't speak sensibly you'd better hold
your tongue," said the lieutenant angrily. "The captain and Mr
Anderson are not likely to make a mistake. Everybody on board was of
opinion that this is the same vessel."

"Then I've made a mistake, sir," said the midshipman. "But that can't
be the skipper, sir," and he drew attention to a short, stoutish,
sun-browned man who was looking over the side.

"Of course it is not, sir. Some English-looking fellow picked to throw
us off our guard."

But the officer in charge began to look uneasy as he scanned the vessel
they were rapidly nearing, till the cutter was rowed alongside, several
of the crew now plainly showing themselves and looking uncommonly like
ordinary merchant sailors as they leaned over the bulwarks.

Directly after the coxswain hooked on, and the lieutenant, followed by
two middies and four of the well-armed sailors sprang on board, to be
greeted with a gruff--

"Morning. What does this here mean?"

"Why didn't you heave to, sir?" cried the lieutenant sharply.

"'Cause I was below, asleep," said the sturdy-loo