w,
she would fetch a good sum, if we can get her into an English
port."

The wind continued to hold light, and the four vessels made but
slow progress through the water. The two leaders, however,
gradually improved their position. They were nearly matched, in
point of sailing; and their captains were evidently making a race
of it, hoisting every stitch of canvas they were able to show. By
the afternoon they were fully two miles ahead of the ship, which
was half a mile on the starboard bow of the brig.

The wind died away to nothing, as the sun set. The three Spanish
vessels had all been edging in towards shore, and the polacre
anchored just before sunset. The ship held on for another hour, but
was a mile astern of the other two when she, also, dropped her
anchor.

The sail, that had been towing overboard from the brig, had been
got on board again when the wind began to drop; and she had come up
to within little more than a quarter of a mile of the ship. The
anchor was let go, as soon as it was seen that the crew of the ship
were preparing to anchor, so that the brig should be first to do
so. Whether there had been any suspicions, on board the Spaniards,
as to the character of the brig, they could not tell but, watching
her closely, Captain Lockett saw that the order to anchor was
countermanded, as soon as it was seen that the brig had done so.

A few minutes after the men again went forward, and the anchor was
dropped; for the vessel was making no way whatever, through the
water.

"Well, Joe, there we are, close to her, now. The question is, what
are we to do next? If there was any wind, it would be simple
enough. We would drop alongside, in the middle watch; and carry her
by boarding, before the Dons had time to get out of their hammocks.
But as it is, that is out of the question and, of course, we can't
think of towing her up. On such a still night as this will be, they
would hear the slightest noise."

"We might attack her in the boats," the mate said.

"Yes, that would be possible; but their watch would hear the oars,
the instant we began to row. You see, by the number of guns she
carries, she must be strongly manned."

"I expect most of them are small," Joe said, "and meant for show,
rather than use. It is likely enough she may have taken half of
them on board at Cadiz, or Malaga, so as to give her a formidable
appearance, in case she should fall in with any craft of our
description. If she has come ac