accident had placed the attacking party at a woeful
disadvantage, by warning their antagonists of the intended attack, and
thus putting them on the alert, I had seen enough of British pluck to
hope that even yet, despite all, it might still prove successful; and I
awaited the event with no small anxiety, quite determined that if the
slightest chance offered of affording any aid to the assailants, I would
avail myself of it, let the consequences to myself be what they would.
But Mendouca soon proved that he was not the man to overlook any such
peril as this; for presently, when by personal inspection he had
satisfied himself that everything was in readiness, he came up to me and
said, with just the suspicion of a sneer in the tones of his voice--

"Now, Dugdale, I will not pay you so poor a compliment as to suppose you
capable of treacherously making use of your present position on board my
ship, to raise your hand against the man who gave you your life, at the
moment when his whole attention will be needed to protect himself
against outside enemies. Still, your conscience appears to be a very
curious and inscrutable thing, and there is no knowing what it may
prompt you to do under the influence of excitement and misguided
enthusiasm. In order therefore that you may be placed beyond the danger
of temptation to do something that you would probably afterwards have
cause to bitterly regret, I will ask you to go below to your cabin,
where, for your own safety's sake, I will take the liberty of locking
you in, with a companion whose duty it will be to see that you remain
there and do not commit yourself by any rash act."

"Oh, certainly!" I answered, rather bitterly. "Needs must when the
devil drives; so lead on, most courteous senor."

"Look here, Dugdale," said he, apparently rather hurt by my tone, "you
must not feel yourself aggrieved at my action in this matter. What I
propose to do is for your own good and safety, quite as much as by way
of a safeguard of my own. My men are fairly amenable to discipline in
their calmer moments, as you have doubtless discovered by this time; but
I should be sorry to answer for them in the excitement of a
fiercely-contested fight, such as this is likely to be; and since you
have persistently refused to join us out and out, I honestly think it
will be safer for you to be below out of sight until we have driven
those meddlesome boats off."

"Very well," said I; "it must of course b