nified old
gentleman on the other side of the deck was the Marquis de Medea, and
still more so on hearing that the very man who had carried off the young
Hernan Escalante was in irons below.

Ronald reported to Lord Claymore the fresh discoveries that had been
made. "All will go right, Morton, in the end, depend on that," he
answered. "I am very sanguine that the young Hernan, if he is
forthcoming, will obtain his rights, and so will your father his; those
two old men were not fallen in with by you in so unlikely a way, except
for some object. `Never despair!' has always been my motto, adopt it,
there is no safer one."

Lord Claymore would very gladly have landed the disagreeable marquis and
the priest on the first part of the coast of Spain they made; but as the
French still held numerous ports and towns to the west, they would have
found it impossible to travel towards Cadiz, to which they expressed
their wishes to proceed, and as there was a lady of the party, he could
not, without great want of courtesy, have put them on shore. For the
sake indeed of Don Josef's daughter, Donna Julia, the captain would very
gladly have borne with his haughty and morose manners. The young lady,
indeed, contrived to enchant every one on board; and those who knew the
character of her father, and entertained hopes of dispossessing him of
his property, could not help feeling compassion for one so young and
lovely, who would, should they succeed, be in reality the principal
sufferer.

The frigate was not to be idle; numberless were the dashing exploits
performed by her gallant crew. In most of them Ronald took an active
part, and several times his father insisted on accompanying him, as he
observed, just to make him feel young again. Numerous vessels were also
captured--one was a French privateer; some Spaniards taken in a prize
were on board her. From these men Lord Claymore learned that within a
day's sail there was a strong and important castle, garrisoned by French
troops. This castle commanded a pass on the road by which the chief
communication was kept open between the borders of France and the French
army on the Ebro. A Spanish force, it was said, had already assembled,
and commenced the siege of the place, but with little success. The
frigate made a long tack off the coast; when she again stood in the fort
was made out, situated on a commanding elevation, overlooking the road
which wound along the shore. The frigate