ill thank you
for all at once.'

"'In a few moments more all danger will be behind us, dearest.'

"Clara leaned upon my arm, enveloped in a boat-cloak, while we rapidly
retraced our steps to the boat, which we reached in safety, but,
behold, the men whom we had left were missing. Hardly had we made
ourselves sure of this unwelcome fact when a file of men, headed by
the same officer who had boarded us in the evening, sprang out from
behind the molasses-hogsheads. In a moment more a fierce fight had
begun. I seized Clara by the waist with one arm, and drew my cutlas
just in time to save my head from the sabre of Carlos Alvarez, who
aimed a blow at me, crying, 'Now, dog of a Yankee, it is my turn!'

"'In the name of the king! in the name of the king!' shouted the
officer--but it made no difference, we fought like seamen. Clara had
fainted, but I still kept my hold of her, when suddenly a ton weight
seemed to have fallen on my head; my eyes seemed filled with red-hot
sparks of intense brilliancy and heat; the wild scene around vanished
from their sight as I sunk down stunned and insensible.

"When I came to myself, I was lying in my own berth aboard the ship. I
felt weak, faint, and dizzy, and strove in vain to collect my thoughts
sufficiently to remember what had happened. My state-room door was
open, and I perceived that the sun's rays were shining brightly
through the sky-light upon the cabin-table, at which sat Capt.
Hopkins, overhauling the medicine-chest, which was open before him. I
knew by the sharp heel of the vessel, her uneasy pitching, and the
cool breeze which fanned my fevered cheek, that the ship was close
hauled on a wind, and probably far at sea. I looked at my arms; they
were wasted to half their usual size, and my head was bandaged and
very sore and painful. Slowly and with difficulty I recalled the
events of the few hours preceding that in which I had lost my
senses--then I remembered the _melee_ on the mole. Evidently I had
been severely wounded, and while senseless been brought off to the
ship. Then came the inquiry, what had been the fate of Clara and her
brother. Were they safe on board, or were they captured or killed in
the _fracas_? I hardly dared to ask the skipper who still sat at the
table, with a most dolorous face, arranging the vials and gallipots.
At last the suspense became intolerable.

"'Captain Hopkins,' said I, but in a voice so weak that it startled
me. Faint as it was, however,