got hides, no doubt;
but the chances are she has a lot of lead, too, and maybe some
silver.

"Ah! He is getting one of his boats in the water. I hope he is not
coming off here.

"If he does, Joe, Bob must meet him at the gangway, and take him
into the cabin. As he comes in, you and I will catch him by the
throat, gag, and bind him; and then Bob must go and tell the men to
return to their ship, that the captain is going to spend the
evening with us, and that we will take him back in our boat."

"That would be the best thing that could happen," Joe said, "for in
that way we could get alongside, without suspicion."

"So we could, Joe. I didn't think of that. Yes, I hope he is
coming, now."

They saw, however, the boat row to a large polacre lying next to
the Spaniard, on the other side. It remained there two or three
minutes, and then rowed away towards the mouth of the harbour.

"Going to spend the evening on shore," the captain observed. "I am
not surprised at that. It is likely enough they have been six
months on their voyage from Lima. It is unlucky, though; I wish he
had come here.

"Well, Bob, as you have got the best head among us, what scheme do
you suggest for our getting on board that craft?"

"I think we could carry out Joe's idea, though in a different way,"
Bob said. "I should say we had better get a boat out; and put, say,
twenty men on board. It is getting dark, but they might all lie
down in the bottom, except six oarsmen. Then we should pull in
towards the mouth of the harbour, just as they have done, and lay
up somewhere under the rocks for a couple of hours; then row off
again, and make for the barque. Of course, they would think it was
the captain returning.

"Then ten of the men should spring on board, and they ought to be
able to silence any men on deck before they could give the alarm.
Directly the ten men got out, the boat would row across to the
polacre; as there is no doubt her captain went ashore with the
other. They would take her in the same way."

"You ought to be made Lord High Admiral of the Fleet, Bob! That
will succeed, if anything will; only we must be sure to put off
again before the Spaniards do.

"Well, Joe, you had better take charge of this expedition. You see,
however quietly it is done, there is almost sure to be some
shouting; and they will take the alarm at the batteries and, when
they make out three of us suddenly getting up sail, they will be
pretty certain th