ost."

"Verily we had a fierce gale, friend Christison," said Ford, coming up
to Wenlock when the weather once more moderated. "Didst not thou fear
greatly?"

"No," answered Wenlock; "though it seemed to me that the ship might
probably go down."

"Ah! truly, I felt very brave too," said Ford.

"You took an odd way of showing it," answered Wenlock, who had observed
the abject fear into which his companion had been thrown.

"Ah! yea, I might have somewhat trembled, but that was more for the
thought of others than for myself," said Ford. "And now tell me, when
dost thou think we shall arrive at our destination?"

"That is more than any one on board can say," said Wenlock; "but we must
do all that men can do, and leave the rest to Him who rules the sea!"

All hands were now engaged in getting the ship to rights. Scarcely
however had jury-masts been set up, than signs of another storm appeared
in the sky.

"I like not the look of the weather," observed the captain.
"Christison, your eyes are sharp; is that a sail away to the
north-east?"

"Yes, verily," answered Wenlock.

"Can it be our consort?"

"No; she would not appear in that quarter. She is a stranger, and seems
to be coming rapidly on towards us," observed Wenlock, after watching
her for little time. "A tall ship too, I suspect."

Captain Dinan had hoped before this to haul up to the wind, but the
increasing gale made this impossible. As, however, he was going out of
his course, he only carried as much sail as necessity required. The
stranger therefore came quickly up with the _Amity_. The captain now
began to eye her very narrowly.

"I like not her looks," he observed. "She is a war ship, and yet shows
no colours."

The captain asked his officers their opinion. They agreed with him.
Bill Rullock, who was a man of experience, was called aft.

"I have little doubt about it," he observed. "That craft's a pirate,
and we must keep clear of her if we would escape having to walk the
plank or getting our throats cut." Nearer and nearer drew the stranger.

"Rather than surrender we must fight to the last," observed the sturdy
captain. "Christison, Ford, which will you all do, gentlemen?" he
asked, addressing the passengers.

"Verily, I will go below and hide myself," said Ford. "It becometh not
one of my creed to engage in mortal combat."

"If you order me to work a gun, I will do so," answered Wenlock.
"Albeit peace is excellent and bles