ld be
distinguished. Suddenly, to his delight, when the brig was within a
hundred yards of the polacre he saw her head come up, while the
crew began to haul upon the sheets.

An exclamation of surprise and alarm broke from the Spaniards as,
in another minute, the Antelope was running parallel with them, a
cable's length to windward. Then the portholes were opened, and
eight guns run out. The Spanish flag was run down and the British
hoisted to the peak; and a summons to strike their flag shouted to
the Spaniards. As the latter carried only four small guns,
resistance was out of the question. The Spanish flag was lowered
and, in obedience to the gesticulations, rather than the words, of
an officer on board the English brig, the halliards were thrown
off, and the sails came down with a run.

The Spanish sailors were frantic with rage, swearing by all the
saints in the calendar. Bob had moved, at once, across to Amy.

"Lie still, Amy. We are going to be captured by an English ship. It
is the same privateer that I was in before. Don't make any sign,
until they come on board. In the fury that these Spaniards are in,
they might stick their knives into us, if they knew we were
English."

The brig had been thrown up into the wind as soon as the polacre's
sails had been lowered and, in three minutes, a boat came
alongside. Then Joe Lockett, followed by half a dozen sailors armed
with pistol and cutlass, scrambled on board.

"Now, follow me, Amy," and, descending the ladder, Bob made his way
along the narrow gangway between the lines of cattle, and then
mounted to the poop.

"Well, Joe, how are you?"

The first mate of the Antelope started back, in astonishment.

"Why, Bob Repton!" he exclaimed. "What on earth are you doing here,
masquerading as a Spanish sailor?"

"I am trying to get across to Gibraltar," he said.

"Why, is this fellow bound for Gibraltar? In that case we have not
got a prize, as we fancied."

"She is a fair prize, Joe; she is bound for Algeciras. I was going
to make my way in from there, as best I could."

"That is all right then. What has she got on board?"

"Nothing beyond these cattle, and some vegetables, I expect; but
they are worth a lot of money, on the Rock."

"Well, you will be able to tell us all about things, Bob. I will
hail the captain to send Crofts on board, with a dozen men to take
charge, here; and then I will take you on board."

"I have a friend here," Bob said, turning t