d us, for she had hauled her wind and was making sail.

"All right," remarked the skipper; "so much the better. That just suits
me, for we shall get to fisticuffs all the sooner, and get the whole
business comfortably over by dark. Let her go along as she is, Mr
Comben."

We finished our dinner comfortably, and then went on deck, to find that
the brigantine had reached out well across our fore-foot; and shortly
afterwards she tacked, heading well up to meet us. She was then about
nine miles off, and some four points on our starboard bow; the ship
being, perhaps, twelve miles distant, bearing a point on our port bow.
The wind had freshened a trifle during the forenoon, and was now blowing
a pretty little breeze that sent us along at about six knots; and if it
would but freshen a trifle more it would become a perfect working breeze
for a fight between two such craft as the brigantine and ourselves. As
it was, I was by no means dissatisfied, for there was just wind enough
to ensure the proper working of the schooner, while the water was smooth
enough to admit of our laying our adversary aboard without injury to
either vessel. The men were given plenty of time to finish their dinner
in peace and comfort; a tot of grog was served out to them, and then all
hands cleared the decks for action; the galley fire was extinguished,
the magazine opened, powder and shot passed on deck, cutlasses and
pistols served out, and the latter loaded; and then the crew went to
quarters. The brigantine was by this time within three miles of us; we
allowed her to close to within two miles, and then shortened sail to
mainsail, foresail, topsail, topgallant-sail, and jibs, hoisted our
colours, and fired a gun.

CHAPTER TEN.

THE AFFAIR OF THE TIGRE AND THE MANILLA.

The brigantine was at this time under all plain sail, to her royal and
main-topmast-staysail, standing toward us, close-hauled, on the port
tack; but we had no sooner shortened sail and hoisted our colours than
she did the same, displaying a very large tricolour at her peak.

"Very good," commented the skipper approvingly; "that settles the
question of her nationality, at all events, and shows that she is
prepared to fight for the prize yonder, that she has somehow managed to
secure. Well, I'm glad of it, George, for she is a wonderfully handsome
craft, powerful, fast, and half as big again as we are; she will be
quite worth the trouble of taking, I believe. A man ough