rigate
keeps on the course she was steering when we last saw her, she will
go two miles to the south of us; and the lugger will go more than
that to the north. If they hold on all night, they will be hull
down before morning; and we shall be to windward of them and, with
the wind light, the frigate would never catch us; and we know the
lugger wouldn't, with her reduced sails."

In a few minutes all the sails were lowered, and the brig lay
motionless. For the next two hours the closest watch was kept, but
nothing was seen of the pursuing vessels.

"I fancy the frigate must have altered her course more to the
south," the captain said, "thinking that, as the lugger was up
north, we should be likely to haul our wind in that direction. We
will wait another hour, and then get up sail again, and lay her
head for Cape Ortegal."

When the morning broke, the brig was steering west. No sign of the
lugger was visible but, from the tops, the upper sails of the
frigate could be seen, close under the land, away to the southeast.

"Just as I thought," the captain said, rubbing his hands in high
glee. "She hauled her wind, as soon as it was dark, and stood in
for the coast, thinking we should do the same.

"We are well out of that scrape."

Two days later the brig dropped her anchor in the Tagus, where
three English ships of war were lying. A part of the cargo had to
be discharged, here; and the captain at once went ashore, to get a
spar to replace the topmast carried away in the gale.

"We may fall in with another Frenchman, before we are through the
Straits," he said, "and I am not going to put to sea again like a
lame duck."

Bob went ashore with the captain, and was greatly amused at the
scenes in the streets of Lisbon.

"You had better keep with me, as I shall be going on board, in an
hour. Tomorrow you can come ashore and see the sights, and spend
the day. I would let Joe come with you, but he will be too busy to
be spared, so you will have to shift for yourself."

Before landing in the morning, the captain advised him not to go
outside the town.

"You don't know the lingo, lad, and might get into trouble. You
see, there are always sailors going ashore from our ships of war,
and they get drunk and have sprees; and I don't fancy they are
favourites with the lower class, here, although the shopkeepers, of
course, are glad enough to have their money--but I don't think it
would be safe for a lad like you, who can't spe