n hour yet--perhaps half."

"Well," said Fitz, "for my part, I--" He stopped short, and Poole looked
at him curiously.

"Well?" he said. "You what? What were you going to say?"

"Nothing. You'd only think that I was afraid."

"Oh, I know," said Poole. "You were going to say that you hope it won't
turn out serious. I shouldn't think that you were afraid. I feel just
the same. But you may make up your mind for one thing. We are in the
strongest position, and Villarayo's sailors won't be allowed to take the
_Teal_. If it comes to bloodshed, it's their doing, mind, and not ours.
Now, don't let's talk any more."

"Why not?" said Fitz. "I feel as if I must. Perhaps I shouldn't if I
were one of your crew, and like that."

He pointed quickly to his companion's belt, from which hung a sword, and
then quickly touched the flap of the little holster buttoned over the
brass stud. "You won't use that, will you?" he said. "Not if I can
help it," was the reply. "Help it! Why, of course you needn't unless
you like."

"Well, I shouldn't like to, of course. But if you were I, and you saw
one of these fellows aiming at one of your men, say at old Butters or
Chips, setting aside the dad, wouldn't you try and whip it out to have
first shot?"

Fitz nodded shortly, and for the time being the conversation ceased,
while the lads' attention was taken up by the sight of the Camel, who
after making a rattling noise as if stoking his fire in the galley, shut
the door with a bang, and came out red-faced and hot, wiping his hands
prior to buckling on a belt with its cutlass and then helping himself to
a capstan-bar.

It was only a few minutes later that the bows of a large cutter came in
sight, followed by the regularly dipping oars of the crew of swarthy
sailors who were pulling hard.

The next moment the uniforms of two officers could be made out in the
stern-sheets, where they sat surrounded by what answered to marines, and
before the cutter had come many yards the bows of its consort appeared.

As they came within sight of the schooner a cheer arose, a sort of
imitation British cheer, which had a curious effect upon the schooner's
crew, for to them it seemed so comic that they laughed; but a growl from
the mate made every one intent for the serious work in hand, as at the
next order they divided in two parties, each taking one side of the
schooner for the defence under command of the skipper and his chief
officer.