for the use of the Cuban insurgents; and our instructions are
to seize your vessel and take her into Havana. We fired upon you
because you were somewhat slow in obeying our summons to stop."

"Oh!" said Milsom, "so that is how matters stand, is it? And do you
suppose, sir, that Great Britain will allow her flag to be fired on
without having something to say about it?"

"Great Britain will scarcely be willing to protect a vessel which, under
the shelter of her flag, is engaged in succouring those who are
rebelling against the rule of a friendly nation!" remarked the officer.
"And, in any case, we are prepared to take the consequences of our acts.
We know this so-called yacht to be a smuggler of contraband of war, and
we intend to seize her."

"What if I were to tell you that we have not an ounce of contraband of
war on board?" enquired Milsom.

"My captain would simply not believe you, Senor," answered the Spaniard.
"You will therefore be pleased to regard this vessel as a prize, and
yourselves as prisoners!" and he stepped quickly to the gangway and
called to the armed crew of the boat to come out of her. As he did so,
Milsom put a whistle to his lips and blew a short, shrill blast. There
instantly followed a rush of bare feet along the deck; and as the
Spaniards passed in through the yacht's gangway they found themselves
confronted with some thirty stalwart British seamen, with drawn
cutlasses in their hands and revolvers in their belts.

"Caramba! What does this mean, Senor?" demanded the Spanish lieutenant,
starting back in dismay at this unexpected _denouement_.

"It means just this, Senor Teniente," answered Milsom; "we don't intend
to stand any nonsense of any description. You go back to your ship and
tell your captain that, since somebody seems to have sent him out on a
fool's errand, my owner here, Senor Don John Singleton, will--purely as
an act of courtesy, mind you--permit him, or you, to search this ship
from stem to stern and from keel to truck, in order that you may
thoroughly satisfy yourselves that we have no contraband, whether of war
or otherwise, on board. But there will be no seizure of this ship;
understand that! Such an act would be an outrage to our flag; and, as
you may see, we are both ready and willing to resist it! Also, you will
please tell your captain that we demand an ample apology for his high-
handed behaviour in daring to fire upon us."

"Carrajo! Senor, those are very