ng for the harbour. They have been
creeping along shore with the land-wind during the night, or they
wouldn't be where they are.'

"The second mate agreed with me.

"`I don't see what cause we have to fear them, seeing that England is at
peace with all the world,' says I to him.

"`I do though, if they belong to the Carthagenan government,' he
answered. `I wish we were well out of the harbour, that I do.'

"While we were watching the strangers, Captain Crowhurst came alongside
in his gig, and almost before he was on deck he shouted out,--`Hands
aloft! Loose sails! Stand by to slip the cable!'

"No time for weighing!

"`Oh, where is my father?' I heard the young lady ask him. `He'll be
here soon, I suppose,' he answered gruffly, and turning away, he
muttered, `If it hadn't been for his obstinacy we should have been well
out at sea by this time.'

"The few hands sprang aloft to loose sails, the skipper went to the
helm, and the mates stood ready to unshackle the cable, while the gig's
crew hoisted up their boat. I really thought that Captain Crowhurst was
going to sail without waiting for the colonel. I heard him order the
midshipmen, who were talking together, to lend a hand in getting the
ship under weigh if they didn't wish to be run up to the yard-arm. The
poor young lady was in a state of great agitation at seeing what was
happening.

"`We'll not touch a rope till the colonel is on board,' says Mr Rogers;
`he is our friend, and we'll not allow him to be basely deserted. We
are not under your command either, if it comes to that.'

"At this the skipper swore fearfully, and, seizing a rope's end, seemed
as if he would have given a taste of it to the midshipmen all round,
when the young lady, stepping before him, told him that he was a coward,
and dared him to strike them. He went back to the wheel without
answering. I had been keeping a look-out for the boats. Daylight was
increasing, and I now saw them coming off, the men bending to their oars
as if they were in chase of an enemy. They soon dashed up alongside,
and the colonel came on deck, looking as cool as if nothing particular
had happened, though by the way the men sprang on board and hauled away
at the falls, and then turned to at loosing sails, I judged that they
knew there was no time to be lost. The cable was let run out, the sails
were sheeted home, and, with a light breeze off the land, we stood out
of the harbour, followed by the s