big words; and you ought to be
perfectly certain of yourself before you use them. They are offensive,
sir; and a Spanish officer allows no one to use such words to him with
impunity!" exclaimed the Spaniard.

"Sir," retorted Milsom, "the behaviour of your captain in firing upon
this yacht was offensive; and he will find that he cannot treat
Englishmen in that fashion with impunity. There is a right and a wrong
way of doing these things, and your captain has chosen the wrong way; he
will therefore be made to suffer for it."

"We shall see, Senor Englishman; we shall see," returned the Spaniard.
"Then, am I to understand that you refuse to surrender your ship?"

"Yes, sir," answered Milsom; "that is precisely what I wish you to
understand. And I wish you to understand, further, that if you dare to
attempt force, I will treat you as a pirate, and sink you, despite your
flag. You see that I have the means and the power to carry out my
threat--" waving his hand first towards the guns and then towards his
men.

"Very well, Senor," answered the Spaniard, livid with rage at being thus
hectored before his own men, "I will tell my captain what you say; and
it will be for him to decide how he will deal with you. If it rested
with me, I would blow your ship out of the water. And I shall remember
your face, Senor; and it may be that some day we shall meet on shore."

"I expect to be in Havana to-morrow, or next day, Senor Teniente, and it
will afford me the greatest pleasure to meet you there," answered
Milsom. "Good afternoon, and don't forget to tell your captain that if
he chooses to come on board in a friendly way, my owner here will be
very pleased to see him, and to show him all over the ship. He can look
into every nook and cranny of her if it will afford him any satisfaction
to do so."

The Spanish lieutenant bowed without speaking, signed to his men to go
back into their boat, and followed them down the side. Five minutes
later Jack and Milsom saw him gesticulating violently on the gunboat's
quarter-deck as he related to the commander of the craft his version of
the recent interview.

CHAPTER SIX.

COMMANDER DON LUIS Y ALBUQUERQUE.

"I say, Phil, you seemed to have your knife into that Spaniard," said
Jack, as he and Milsom stood watching the gunboat. "You appeared to
take a delight in rubbing his fur the wrong way."

"Yes," agreed Milsom meditatively, "I am afraid I did; and I am afraid,
too, th