ad
for some time been wearing a threatening aspect, and had not Green been
so eager to overhaul the stranger, he would have endeavoured to make the
best of his way back to Santa Cruz. At length the wind dropped
altogether, and, the sails being lowered, the crews of the boats gave
way, with a certainty that they should at length get up with the chase.
Each boat had four muskets; the officers had stuck their pistols in
their belts, and the men had their cutlasses--weapons on which British
seamen always place more reliance than on firearms. They were now
within gunshot of the schooner, but she did not fire, nor were any signs
visible that she intended to offer resistance. Green steered for the
starboard quarter, and directed Tom to board on the port side. They
were soon up with her; Tom and Billy, with six men, scrambled up on
deck, which Green and his party gained at the same time; but, except the
man at the helm, and one other forward, none of the crew were visible.
The man at the helm looked very much astonished, and asked with cool
effrontery what they wanted. Green replied that he must know where the
schooner was from, whither she was bound, and what cargo she had on
board.

"The master will tell you all about it, sir," answered the man, "but he
is at present below, sick with a bad leg."

"Then I must pay him a visit, and get him to show his papers," said
Green; who, telling Tom and Billy to keep a watch on deck, went into the
master's cabin with Archie, and a couple of armed men. The master was
sitting up in his cot, with a black boy attending on him.

"Well, gentlemen, what do you want?" he asked, as Green and Archie
entered.

"Why did you run away from us," asked Green, "when you must have seen
that our boats were those of one of Her Majesty's ships-of-war?"

"How could I tell what you were?" said the master; "you might be
pirates. At all events, I have no wish to be stopped in my voyage."

"Well, at any rate, show me your papers, and inform me how many people
you have on board; for as yet I have only seen a couple of hands," said
Green.

"We have upwards of eighty, including passengers," answered the master.
"I suppose the crew got out of the way lest you should fire at us, and
for the same reason the passengers thought it prudent to keep below.
Boy, take that tin case out of the the locker there, and give it to the
officer."

Green examined the document brought him. It set forth that the schoone