, and he spoke
eagerly to his companion before talking very earnestly, and with a good
deal of gesticulation, to the men whom he had selected for his
followers. These appeared to understand what was on the way, looking
earnestly at the distant vessel, and then taking the positions assigned
to them when all was ready, and Tom Fillot burst into a hearty laugh.

"They'll walk into the trap beautiful, sir, see if they don't," he said.
"Lor', sir, if you only could make yourself look like the Yankee
skipper, we should be lovely."

Mark said nothing, but quietly went on with his preparations. He made
the man at the wheel look as much as possible like an ordinary sailor,
and transformed another in the same way. Then, counter-ordering his
instructions about the men's duck frocks, he partly lowered down the
boat with an armed crew, including Tom Fillot, with instructions to keep
out of sight, and ready for him to drop and board the stranger later on.

Then, going below, he made a few alterations in his own dress, so as to
conceal the fact that he was in uniform; threw his belt, dirk, jacket,
and cap into the stern-sheets of the boat, and clapped a Panama hat,
which he found in the cabin, upon his head. Then he walked about the
deck in shirt and trousers, and with the Yankee skipper's big spy-glass
under his arm.

The last thing he did was to plant two of the men forward, where they
readily played their parts of standing looking over the bulwarks, and
watching the coming vessel.

For she had altered her course and came steadily toward them, after
hoisting her colours--the Stars and Stripes--the same flag being sent
aloft by Dick Bannock at a word from Mark.

"Now, my lads," he said, "whatever you do in the boat, keep out of
sight. If they catch a glimpse of you they'll be off, and we may never
get alongside."

"Ay, ay, sir," came eagerly from the boat in which the two black sailors
had also been stowed, each looking eager and excited about the work to
come.

The wind was light, and a couple of hours passed, with Mark's steersman
gradually edging the schooner nearer to the stranger, which, having the
advantage of the wind, glided down to them, evidently meaning to speak
them, and ask for news.

"It couldn't be better, sir," said Tom Fillot; "only if you would get
one of the skipper's big cigars and smoke it as you walk about, they're
sure to be using a spy-glass now and then."

"But I can't smoke, Tom."

"Then