.

"Then we shall have a little sport," remarked I. Hardly had I spoken,
when the brig again shortened sail, and fired a shot from her bows;
then came another, and another, and another.

"She shows a good set of teeth," cried Jigmaree; "nine on a side, as I
am a living sinner!"

Three of the shots struck us, mortally wounding a sailor, and injuring
the poor little midshipman, Reefpoint, who was hit by a splinter.

"Steady, men--aim low--fire!"

Again the long gun was discharged, together with two smaller pieces.
But our friend was too nimble for us; he crowded on sail, and escaped
in spite of our efforts to overtake him. In less than an hour we lost
sight of him.

"Crowd on sail, and after him, Master Jigmaree," said I; but as I
feared lest he might lead us too near the coast, I went down into the
cabin to consult the chart.

II.

In the cabin I found Wagtail, Gelid, and Bangs, three British
officers, stationed at the West Indies, capital fellows, who finding
their time hang heavy on their hands, had procured leave of absence,
and accompanied me in my cruise, which though somewhat dangerous it is
true, still offered occasional opportunities of amusement. They were
sitting round a small table, smoking, and before them stood glasses of
brandy and water.

"Something of a fight, eh?" said Paul Gelid, a long-limbed Creole from
the Bahamas, but a warm-hearted, honorable fellow, with a drawling
voice. "Not very pleasant in the evening, I should say."

"You're a pretty fellow," retorted Aaron Bangs, "to be plaguing us
with your chatter at such an unseasonable moment as this."

Bangs had been an active and brave officer, but ease and comfort was
every thing to him, and when he could not fight, he did not like to
hear it spoken of.

Pepperpot Wagtail was a little round fellow, of an irritable
temperament, but great goodness of heart, and very scrupulous in his
dealings with mankind. He had been sick and had come on board in order
to recruit his health. I do not know how to describe his appearance
better than to compare him to an egg, to the large end of which, his
little feet were fastened.

"My dear sir," he said to Bangs, "reach me that cursed biscuit."

Bangs gave him the bowl, throwing into it some pieces of biscuit which
were as hard as stones.

All this time I was occupied with my chart. Wagtail took a piece of
the biscuit and put it into his mouth.

"Zounds! my dear Aaron," cried he, ironically, "wh