there won't be too much sea running for good boats to
live in."

"I'm all ready now!" exclaimed Ned, as he sprang away, but he went with
a curious question rising in his mind: "What if a cable were more'n half
cut through? Wouldn't it be likely to break and let go of an anchor, if
it were pulled at too hard by a gale of wind? I don't really know
anything about it, but Senor Zuroaga thinks that Captain Kemp is a
curious man to deal with. Father thinks that he is a good sailor, too."

All the wardrobe that Ned had on board was easily contained in a
waterproof satchel of moderate size, and he was half-glad now that
there was no more of it, it went so quickly over into the large yawl
that was waiting alongside when he returned on deck. It was a four-oared
boat, and Colonel Tassara, at the stern, beckoned to him without
speaking, as if he might have reasons for silence as well as haste.

"In with you, Ned," said Captain Kemp. "I'll try to see you within a day
or two. Take good care of yourself. Good day, colonel."

The Mexican officer only bowed, and in a moment more the yawl was
fighting her difficult way over the rapidly increasing waves, for the
first strength of the norther had really come, and there might soon be a
great deal more of it,--for the benefit of the _Goshhawk_.

"There!" muttered Captain Kemp, as he saw them depart, "I haven't more
than a good boat's crew left on board. We'll take to the life-boat as
soon as the cable parts. There isn't any use in trying to save this bark
under all the circumstances. I've done my duty. I couldn't have
calculated on heavy shot first, and then for a whole gang of cruisers
watching for me off the coast. This 'ere norther, too! Well, I didn't
make the war, and I don't see that I ought to lose any money by it. I
won't, either."

Whatever was his exact meaning, the mate and four other men who remained
evidently agreed with him, from what they were shortly saying to one
another. It might also have been taken note of by a careful observer
that the mate was a Scotchman, and that the four others were all from
Liverpool. Whoever had put so much contraband of war on board the
_Goshhawk_ had not entrusted it entirely to the eccentricities of a lot
of out-and-out American sailors, with peculiar notions concerning their
flag.

On went Colonel Tassara's yawl, and it was not likely to meet any other
boat that evening. As the rollers increased in size momentarily, Ned
began to have d