stroyed, and
their vessels engaged in the trade will become prizes to his Majesty's
cruiser."

"Say, mister," said the American coolly--and then to a shivering black
who had come out of the house bearing a coarse yellow wax candle which
he tried to shelter between his hands, evidently in dread lest it should
become extinct,--"Take care, you black cuss, or you'll have it out!"

Murray heard the poor fellow utter a sigh of relief, but he did not even
wince, only stood motionless as his tyrant took the wax taper, held it
to his cigar till it burned well, and then extinguished it by placing
the little wick against the black man's bare arm, before pitching the
wax to the man, who caught it and hurried away.

"Say, mister," said the overseer again, "don't you think you fire off a
little too much of your Britannic Majesty and your King George
fireworks?"

"Go on, sir," said the lieutenant, biting his lip. "Yes, that's what
I'm going to do," continued the man coolly. "What's all this here got
to do with a free-born Aymurrican citizen?"

"Only this, sir, that your so-called American citizen will have no
protection from a great country for such a nefarious transaction."

"There you go again, mister! That's I don't know how many times you've
let off that there prize word of yours, neefarious. There, don't bluff,
sir; to use your old country word, them as plays at bowls must expeck
rubbers. No, no, no, don't you begin ordering your fellows to meddle
with me, because I'm rather nasty when I'm interfered with, 'sides which
I've got some one inside the house to take care of me if it was wanted,
as you can see for yourself--twenty of 'em, boys who can use a rifle;
and that's what your chaps can't do."

In spite of himself the lieutenant started and raised his eyes, to
become aware of the fact that some dozen or fourteen rifle barrels were
protruding from the windows of the long low house, while others were
being thrust from another building away to the right--a shed-like place
that had been unnoticed before, through its covering of densely growing
creepers.

"Don't do that, youngsters," said the American, with a sneering laugh;
"they wouldn't hurt anybody if you pulled 'em out, and some of my
fellows indoors might take it as what you call a signal to draw their
knives."

"Trapped!" muttered the lieutenant to himself; but he did not wince,
only stood thinking out to himself what would be his best course to
pursue, and h