do that if we all
moved together, for there was but one native American in the prize
crew--the midshipman--and he was a little whiffet to be strangled with a
finger and thumb. Even the fact that we were in the middle of the tow,
the _Sumter_ ahead and the _Herndon_ behind, wouldn't have made any
difference to us if we had had control of the brig, because a few lusty
blows with an axe would have severed the two hawsers and the darkness
would have aided us in making our escape; but the trouble was, the
elements were against us. The wind would not come up, and of course it
would be of no use for us to take the brig unless we had a breeze to
help us draw off."

While the captain and his vigilant second mate were waiting and watching
in the hope that something might unexpectedly turn up in their favor,
Captain Semmes came to their aid. The _Sumter_ with her heavy tow and
little breeze to help her, was making headway altogether too slowly to
suit him; and besides, it had occurred to him that it might be well to
run ahead and find out what the authorities at Cienfuegos thought of him
and his government, and whether or not they would permit Yankee prizes
to be condemned and sold in that port. The first intimation the brig's
crew had that Captain Semmes was about to cast off his tow was a warning
whistle from the _Sumter_. This was followed by a sudden slackening of
the hawser, and a few minutes later the _Sumter's_ black hulk showed
itself on the starboard bow. She was backing water.

"_Sabine_ ahoy!" came the hail.

"On board the _Sumter!_ replied the midshipman.

"Cast off the _Herndon's_ hawser and stand by to pass it aboard of us."

The midshipman responded with an "Ay, ay, sir!" and ordered the brig's
crew to lay aft and hold themselves in readiness to cast off when they
received the word. It took half an hour to transfer the line from one
vessel to the other (it was accomplished by the aid of a small boat),
and then another order came to the prize-master of the _Sabine_.

"Haul in your own hawser and make sail and follow us into port," were
the instructions he received, and which he at once proceeded to act
upon. He did not notice, however, that the first man to seize the hawser
and lay out his strength upon it with a "Heave yo! All together now,"
was the surly second mate, who seemed to take the loss of his vessel so
much to heart that he hadn't said a word to anybody since the prize crew
was put aboard of her. But