.

"They are getting up the anchors," Pengarvan said, as he watched
them, shading his eyes with his hands.

Three or four minutes later the sails were sheeted home, and the
Spaniard began to move through the water, having set sail as soon
as the anchors were tripped. No sooner were they under weigh, and
the crews at their quarters, than they began to discharge their bow
guns after the Swan.

"Shall we answer them, Captain?" James Standing asked. "We can
bring a couple of guns aft, and fire over the rail."

"By no means," Captain Reuben replied. "At present they know
nothing about us, and though they may guess that we are not
licensed traders, with due authority to trade among the islands, I
do not suppose they suspect, for a moment, that we are foreigners;
but deem us a private venture, from one of their own ports. No
Spanish trader would dare to fire on their own flag and, as long as
we do not reply, they will suppose that we are only trying to
escape the payment of some heavy fine, or perhaps forfeiture, for
breach of their regulations.

"No, they can fire away. They are not likely to hurt us. They are
fully a mile behind us, and we shall soon leave them."

But in this respect the captain was mistaken. The Spaniards were
both fast vessels; and although the Swan kept her distance, those
on board presently saw that she gained nothing. The shot continued
to fall around them, but the Spaniards worked their guns slowly.
The pieces on their forecastles were light ones, and though two or
three shot passed through the sails of the Swan, they did but
little damage.

"As long as they don't knock away a spar we will hold on," Captain
Reuben said. "If they do, we will turn and fight them. But the wind
is dropping a little, and I think that, if anything, we are gaining
upon them now."

By the afternoon the Swan was fully two miles ahead, and the
Spaniards had discontinued firing. The Swan was heading now to pass
an island which had, for some hours, been visible ahead. Presently
the Spaniards again began firing, although their shot fell in the
water far astern of the Swan.

"What are the lubbers up to now?" James Standing said. "They cannot
think they are going to frighten us into stopping, now that we have
fairly got away from them."

Captain Reuben was anxiously gazing at the island ahead. They had
laid their course to pass it to windward, as they sailed better,
close-hauled, than did the Spaniard; who had not only