hey plucked up heart of
grace, and became quite cheery and affable with the Englishmen until
Heard, the purser, rather maliciously reminded them that the matter of
the indemnity still remained unsettled and that many things might happen
before the citizens consented to part with such an enormous sum of
money. And the hostages would have felt very much more disconcerted at
his remark than they actually were, had they dreamed that the Englishman
was speaking truer than he knew.

By the time that the excitement attendant upon the safe return of the
Captain and his escort had begun to simmer down a little, night had
fallen, and those who were not on duty began to think of retiring to
rest, for the day had been a long and rather trying one to all hands,
and especially so to those who had been of the shore-going party. But
George did not forget, nor would he allow anyone else on board to
forget, that the ship was in a hostile port, surrounded on all sides by
enemies; and that although, for the moment, a truce prevailed, nobody
could possibly say how long that truce might last, or at what moment it
might be broken. He reminded his compatriots that the harbour of San
Juan de Ulua, where they now lay, was the scene of that act of
stupendous treachery which it was a part of their business to avenge; he
pointed out that it was the very people who now surrounded them who had
perpetrated that act of treachery and were therefore quite capable of
perpetrating another if they believed that they saw the opportunity to
do so successfully, and he drew their attention to the fact that
although, thank God, they had a sound ship under them, they were very
much fewer in numbers than those who were the victims of the tragedy of
a year ago, and were consequently at least as tempting a mark as those
others had been; and finally he issued his commands that the same
watches should be maintained as though the ship were at sea, and that
the utmost vigilance should be observed by the look-outs and especially
by the officers, that the ordnance should be kept loaded, that no man
should lay aside his arms, even to sleep; and that, lastly, if any craft
or boat of any kind were seen to be approaching the ship during the
hours of darkness, she was to be first challenged, and then fired upon
if she did not immediately reply.

The night fell dark and overcast, with a brisk easterly breeze and
occasional heavy rain squalls, taxing the vigilance of the loo