nd formed a long sparkling frothy line
astern.

"We shall do now, Morton," exclaimed the captain, in high glee. "Don't
you hear the dollars chinking away in her hold?"

Lord Claymore wanted the money--not that he was avaricious--far from
that; but he had numberless schemes in view, and he knew full well that
without the gold they could not be carried out.

As the chase was neared, the Spanish colours were seen flying at the
peak. Not a shot did she fire. From the squareness of her yards and
the whiteness of her canvas, as seen in the dusk of evening, as the
"Pallas" got her within range of her guns, it was not altogether certain
that she might not prove a man-of-war.

"So much the better," answered the captain, when Glover and the master
gave it as their opinion that she was so. "We shall have more honour,
though less gold. We must look out for the gold another time."

The men were sent to their quarters, and the ship was prepared for
action. The chances that the chase would escape were small indeed.

"There's many a slip between the cup and the lip," observed Mr Hardman,
the second lieutenant, who had experienced the truth of the saying in
his own person so often that he seldom failed to give expression to it
on every opportunity. Though he numbered many more years than either
the captain or first lieutenant, he had not been promoted till some time
after them. Sometimes when he foretold a slip, he was mistaken.

"Ready with a gun forward!" exclaimed the captain.

The chase was well within range.

"We don't want to injure her more than we can help," he added. "Send a
shot past her first. Fire!"

The gloom prevented the shot being seen as it flew on over the surface
just free of the chase.

The Spaniards thought that the next, might come in through the
stern-windows. Down went her helm; studdingsail booms were cracking
away on either side; royal and topgallant sheets were let fly; topsails
and courses were clewed or brailed up, and the Spaniard yielded himself
to the mercy of his captors.

The frigate brought to in a more deliberate way, taking care to be to
windward of the prize; boats were instantly lowered and manned, and
Hardman and Glover hurried off to take possession. Perhaps the captain
would have liked to have gone, but it would have been undignified.
Glover soon returned with the satisfactory information that she was the
"Carolina," a large Spanish ship, richly laden from the Havanah t