ou to go and take possession," he
went on, as the crew tumbled up the ladder. "Count your prize-money up
on your fingers and then give a cheer."

This was an insulting way to treat men who had done all that brave men
could do to elude their enemy, and surrendered at last because they had
no means of defending themselves, and Marcy was glad to notice that
Tierney saw it, and did not join in the cheers that followed. Perhaps
the man had a better heart than Marcy had given him credit for.

"Where's that boat's crew?" inquired the captain, meaning the men who
had been drilled in lowering the yawl and pulling off to imaginary
prizes. "Here's the keys to the cabin, Marcy. Unlock the door and give
every man who comes to you a saber, revolver, and a box of cartridges.
And you," he added, turning to the first mate as Marcy took the keys and
hastened below, "tumble ten men besides the boat's crew into the yawl,
go off to the prize, and send the master and his papers on board of us.
Put all the schooner's company, except the mates, in double irons, and
stow them away somewhere under guard. Then keep your weather eye on me
and follow in my wake when I fill away for Newbern. That's the way we'll
manage things as often as we take a prize."

While these orders were being obeyed the _Osprey_ was sailing steadily
toward her prize; and by the time the men had been selected and the
small arms distributed, she had come as close to her as Captain
Beardsley thought it safe to venture. Having performed his duty, Marcy
returned to the deck just in time to see the prize crew climbing upon
her deck. A quarter of an hour later the boat came back, bringing a
strange man who certainly took matters very coolly, seeing that he had
lost his vessel and a valuable cargo.

"Captain," said he, as he clambered over the _Osprey's_ rail, "I don't
understand the situation at all, for all your mate would say to me was
that my ship was a prize to the Confederate privateer _Osprey._"

"What else did you want him to say?" asked Captain Beardsley, with a
smile that must have made the merchant skipper angry. "That's the whole
thing in a nutshell. Where are your papers? See that flag up there?
That's the one I sail under. You must have heard that there were such
fellows as me afloat, or you wouldn't have shied off as you did."

"Your appearance was all right, but I didn't like the way you acted,"
replied the skipper. "Yes, I have heard that there are some gentl