he is Spanish we may beat her off, but if she proves French,
she may be a somewhat tough customer; however, you will try, of course,
Mr Turtle."

"If you advise resistance, we'll make it, sir, and do our best," said
Captain Turtle, who, though fat, had no lack of spirit.

"By all means. Turn the hands up, load the guns, and open the
arm-chest," was the answer.

The crew of the _Guava_, which was rather of a mixed character--blacks,
mulattoes, Malays, Portuguese, and other foreigners,--were not very
eager for the fight, but when they saw the spirit of the naval officers,
especially of the young midshipmen, they loaded the guns, stuck the
pistols in their belts, and girded on their cutlasses to prepare for the
fight.

The _Guava_, of course, could not hope to escape by flight, so the
safest course was to put a bold face on the matter, and to stand on.
The stranger rapidly approached. There could no longer be any doubt as
to her nationality, though no colours flew from her peak. She was
pronounced to be French, though whether a national ship or a privateer
was doubtful.

"If she is a privateer and we are taken, our chances of fair treatment
are very small," observed Captain Walford.

"It will be hard lines for the skipper, after performing so gallant an
action, to fall into the hands of the enemy," observed O'Grady. "For my
part, I'd sooner blow up the ship."

"Not much to be gained by that," answered Devereux. "Let us fight like
men and yield with dignity, if we are overmatched."

"The right sentiment," said Captain Walford. "There is no disgrace in
being conquered by a superior force."

"As I fear that we shall be," muttered the master of the _Guava_. "Now,
if I'd been left alone, I'd have knocked under at once. We've not the
shadow of a chance."

"Then it's not like Captain Turtle's own shadow," whispered O'Grady, who
could even at that moment indulge in a joke.

Matters were indeed becoming serious. The stranger was, it was soon
seen, a powerful vessel, cither a large corvette or a small frigate,
against which the heavily-rigged, ill-manned and slightly-armed merchant
ship, had scarcely a chance. Still, such chance as there was, the
English resolved to try. The order was given to fire high at the
enemy's rigging, and the rest of the crew stood prepared to make all
possible sail directly any of the Frenchman's spars were knocked away.
Paul had been so accustomed to believe that whatever his capt