r heads seemingly among
the few stars that were that night shining.

They were creeping on and inward, steering for a cluster of lights that
evidently betokened the presence of a large vessel at anchor about a
mile farther in, when those same lights were suddenly obscured, and a
little later there came plainly to their ears a swish of water, strongly
suggestive of some vessel moving at speed. At the whispered command of
the officer the boat's crew backed water simultaneously, and brought the
boat to a stand-still, just in time to avoid being run down by a dark
mass that came swiftly, and with no lights showing, out toward the open
sea. As she passed the boat, within oar's-length, they could hear quite
distinctly the sound of voices, and, to their utter amazement, the
speech of those voices was English. The vessel was moving so swiftly
that only a few words could be caught, and these were: "All is well so
far, John, my lad; in an hour from this we shall be out of this bay,
and, once on the open sea, it will take more than--" and the voice was
lost in the distance.

Roger had, some time before, come aft, and was now by the side of the
lieutenant.

He said in a hushed voice: "What does that mean, Mr Story? There is
some strange happening abroad this night. That ship had Englishmen
aboard her; yet, so far as we know, there are no English ships beside
ourselves in these seas just now. Besides, why was she carrying no
lights?"

"'Pon my word, Roger, I don't know," replied Story. "As you say, there
are no other English about here excepting ourselves; yet the people in
possession of that craft are undoubtedly English. Ah! can it be, I
wonder, that these people are English prisoners who are effecting their
escape from the Spaniards to-night of all nights; and, having managed to
get hold of a ship, are now clearing off? Zounds! I believe I am
right, and that is what has happened. This is doubly annoying. First,
because we are very short-handed ourselves, and if we could only have
got those fellows to join us it would have helped us to make up our
crews once more; and, secondly, because their escape will surely be
discovered before long, and a search made, which will render it very
awkward for us. I wish I could somehow contrive to communicate with
those other two boats, and let them know; for, this having happened, it
is high time for us to beat a retreat, or we shall be caught like rats
in a trap! But there is