sent to Malta with the prizes, and that, supposing the cutter to
have been sunk, he had written to his father, acquainting him with his
son's death, at which our hero was much grieved, for he knew what sorrow
it would occasion, particularly to his poor mother. "But," thought
Jack, "if she is unhappy for three months, she will be overjoyed for
three more when she hears that I am alive, so it will be all square at
the end of the six; and as soon as I arrive at Gibraltar I will write,
and, as the wind is fair, that will be to-morrow or next day."

After a long conversation Jack was graciously dismissed, Captain Wilson
being satisfied from what he had heard that Jack would turn out a very
good officer, and had already forgotten all about equality and the
rights of man; but there Captain Wilson was mistaken--tares sown in
infancy are not so soon rooted out.

Jack went on deck as soon as the captain had dismissed him, and found
the captain and officers of the Spanish corvette standing aft, looking
very seriously at the _Nostra Senora del Carmen_. When they saw our
hero, who Captain Wilson had told them was the young officer who had
barred their entrance into Carthagena, they turned their eyes upon him
not quite so graciously as they might have done.

Jack, with his usual politeness, took off his hat to the Spanish
captain, and, glad to have an opportunity of sporting his Spanish,
expressed the usual wish that he might live a thousand years. The
Spanish captain, who had reason to wish that Jack had gone to the devil
at least twenty-four hours before, was equally complimentary, and then
begged to be informed what the colours were that Jack had hoisted during
the action. Jack replied that they were colours to which every Spanish
gentleman considered it no disgrace to surrender, although always ready
to engage, and frequently at tempting to board. Upon which the Spanish
captain was very much puzzled. Captain Wilson, who under stood a little
Spanish, then interrupted by observing:

"By-the-bye, Mr Easy, what colours did you hoist up? we could not make
them out. I see Mr Jolliffe still keeps them up at the peak."

"Yes, sir," replied Jack, rather puzzled what to call them, but at last
he replied that it was the banner of equality and the rights of man.

Captain Wilson frowned, and Jack, perceiving that he was displeased,
then told him the whole story, whereupon Captain Wilson laughed, and
Jack then also explained, in S