st minute or two after
sighting them not the slightest sign of life could we discover about
them. As we now had a trifle more water under our keel sail was once
more made upon the schooner, and we headed straight for the strangers;
but we were hardly round upon our new course before we saw four very
large boats, full of men, push out from among the bushes and make in all
haste for the craft at anchor; two of them going alongside the big
felucca, and one each to the smaller craft. They remained alongside
only about a minute, and then returned to the shore with two men in
each. Watching the craft through our glasses, we could see the crews
bustling about the deck in a state of extraordinary activity; and, in
less time than it takes to describe it, the enormous lateen yards--which
had, evidently for the purpose of concealing the whereabouts of the
craft, been lowered down on deck--were mastheaded, the canvas loosed,
and the feluccas got under weigh. The two small craft at once made sail
to the westward, heading for a passage between the mainland and a long
mangrove-covered spit which jutted out from the larger and more westerly
of the three islands; but the large felucca boldly headed for us direct
under every inch of canvas she could spread.

"Now," said I to O'Flaherty, "if that is the same felucca that passed
the _Pinta_ when we were up here before, we shall have our hands full,
for she carries two more guns than we do, and hers are nines whilst ours
are sixes; moreover, she has half as many men again as we have, and if
they are anything like as tough as they appeared to be they will fight
desperately. However, it will never do to turn tail now, so please say
how you mean to engage her, and I will take the necessary steps."

"We will run her aboard, me bhoy, throw all hands on her decks, and
dhrive her cut-throat crew below or overboard in less than two minutes,
or I'm very much mistaken. So be good enough, Misther Lascelles, to
have the guns loaded wid a couple ov round shot and a charge ov grape on
the top ov thim," said O'Flaherty, rubbing his hands gleefully.

I was in the act of issuing the necessary orders when Courtenay
hurriedly hailed from aloft--what he said I could not distinguish--and
the next moment the schooner gave a sort of upward surge and stopped
dead. We were aground!

"Loose and set the topsail and topgallant-sail, and throw them aback!"
shouted O'Flaherty. "Lower away the quarter-boat; ge