of "A sail on the
weather-bow!"

"Which way is she standing?" asked Waller, springing to his feet.

"Right down for us," answered Jack, who had gone aloft. "I was hoping
she might be the brig, at first; but she's a large square-topsail
schooner, and, by the cut of her canvas, she looks like a Spanish or a
Portuguese slaver."

As the stranger drew near, no doubt as to what she was remained on our
minds. Waller took his measures accordingly, with perfect coolness.
Seeing that the prisoners were thoroughly secured, we got ready all our
arms, and supplied ourselves with ammunition. The gun amidships was
also loaded to the muzzle, and covered with a tarpaulin. With the calm
courage which British seamen on all occasion display, our men waited the
approach of the stranger. As she drew near, we made out that she had
three guns on each side, and that her decks were crowded with men.
Notwithstanding this overpowering disparity of force, our men looked at
her in no way daunted; and I felt sure that what men could do they would
for our defence. Waller, however, judged that it would be as well to
animate their courage with a few words.

"Now, my men," said he, "we are but ten of us on board this craft, but
we are true and honest; and though there are probably fifty or sixty
Spaniards in yonder schooner, they are a set of slaving scoundrels, who
cannot stand up a moment before British seamen. They will not attempt
to hull us with their shot, because they will wish to get back the
schooner uninjured; so they will try to take us by boarding. I hope
they may, that we may show them that they have caught a Tartar. All we
have to do is to blaze away with our muskets till we can give them a
taste of our cutlasses. Our big gun we'll keep for a last dose; so now,
my boys, trust in a righteous cause, and huzza for Old England and
victory."

Our men cheered long and lustily, and the sound must have reached the
ears of the Spaniards, and at once showed them, had they before doubted
it, that the schooner was a prize to a British cruiser. They forthwith
began to blaze away with their guns; but, as we had expected, they fired
high, in the hope of cutting away some of our rigging, that they might
the more easily lay us aboard. We replied with our musketry as soon as
they got within range, and Waller picked off several of their people
with his rifle, so that they probably fancied we had some good marksmen
concealed under our bulwar