,
and as he had prudently not let them discover that he knew Spanish, they
did not suspect that he understood what they said. He was sitting
writing in his own cabin, which opened on the gun-room, when he heard
one of them remark that, in a couple of days, at furthest, the tables
would be turned, and that those who were now their masters would be
prisoners, or hung up at the yard-arms of their frigate.

"Which, pirates as they are, will be their just fate," observed another.
On this, the rest of the party laughed grimly.

"The ladies we cannot hang, though."

"No; they can be sent to a nunnery, or perhaps you, Seignor Commandant,
who are a bachelor, would wish to wed the fat widow."

Some remarks were made about Miss Kitty, which Mr Falconer did not
repeat.

"How soon can the two frigates be here?" inquired another.

"In two days, or three at most," was the answer. "But we shall be in no
slight danger. I wish we could escape before then."

"No fear about that," answered one of the former speakers. "The
Englishmen won't attempt to fight against so overpowering a force, and
will, depend on it, haul down their flag as soon as they see the two
frigates enter the harbour."

This idea seemed to make the whole party very merry.

Mr Falconer, after sitting quiet for some time, went on deck, and
informed the captain of all he had heard.

Captain Podgers was not a little put out by the information he received.
He was very unwilling to lose his dollars, but if he remained in
harbour, he might lose his ship, and his own life into the bargain; for
Mr Falconer did not fail to repeat the threat of the Spaniards, to have
him hung up at the yard-arm as a pirate. He vowed that he should be
ready to fight one Spanish frigate, but two were more than even the
_Dolphin_ could venture to tackle.

After pacing the deck two or three times, he summoned the officers into
the cabin; and it was finally settled that the other fat friar should be
at once sent on shore, with orders to make his appearance next day at
noon at the landing-place, with all the dollars that had been collected,
and should the amount not be sufficient, he was to warn the inhabitants
that their town would be set on fire. That the _Dolphin_ might run no
risk of being entrapped, she was at once to put to sea, while the boats
alone were to go in the following day and bring off the ransom.

The Spaniards were very much alarmed when they saw preparations going o