scape fighting this time," I observed; "for Dick
says that he is sure the Spaniards will not attack us. Perhaps before
the morning we shall be able to get away from them."

No one turned in that night, and the crew were kept at their quarters,
to be ready for a sudden attack.

When the sun rose out of the ocean, his beams fell on the tails of our
foes, throwing a ruddy glow on the calm waters, which shone like a plain
of molten gold. Eager eyes were looking out for a breeze. Should it
come from the direction of our foes, they would have every chance of
catching us; but if ahead, we should have the advantage of them, and
thus be able to slip out of their way.

Several hours passed by. We were still the same distance as before from
the enemy.

I was on the forecastle with Dick, when I caught sight of a slight
ripple which played over the surface. I pointed it out to my companion.

"All right, Charley," he said. "Those catspaws are a good sign.
There's another and another."

Presently the sails gave a flap. In a moment every one was in activity:
the yards were braced sharp up, the royals filled, then the
topgallantsails and topsails bulged out, and away we glided. Looking
astern, we saw that the Spaniards still remained becalmed. The
captain's ruddy countenance beamed with satisfaction at the hopes of
carrying off his booty in safety.

"We shall give the Dons the `good-bye,'" he shouted out to his wife
below.

Kitty quickly came on deck, and I saw how thankful she felt.

Gradually our enemies' sails sank beneath the horizon, and at length we
had the satisfaction of losing sight of them altogether. Still the
captain observed, that as they would guess the course we had taken, they
might be after us; and until two days had passed by, he did not feel
altogether secure.

We now steered back to the whaling-ground, where we remained for a
couple of months, half filling the ship with oil.

After this we touched at two of the Society Islands. At one of them we
saw, as we came to an anchor at some little distance from the beach,
beneath a grove of cocoa-nut trees, a neat white cottage built in the
English style, with two larger edifices near it, and Dick remarked that
one of them looked very like a chapel. The numerous natives, who came
off in their canoes, bringing fruits, and vegetables, and fish, were
dressed in shirts and trousers, and all behaved in a quiet, orderly way.
Two or three of those who came