loop. I saw the colonel talking to his
daughter, who seemed terribly alarmed; but he laughed and looked at the
strangers about two miles off on the starboard bow, and then he pointed
ahead as if he expected to get out of the harbour before they were up to
us; I had my doubts, however, whether we should. The midshipmen then
came up to him, as I supposed, to say how glad they were that he had got
safe on board. He answered them very shortly, and taking the young lady
by the hand led her below. Soon afterwards Mr Rogers came for'ard to
where I was standing.

"`I suspect, Needham, that the colonel has got into some scrape on
shore,' said he. `It is clear from that officer coming off to her that
the brig was expected on the coast, and probably those men-of-war are
sent to overhaul her. Do you think that we shall get out to sea before
they come up with us? and if we don't, can we beat them off?'

"`To be honest with you, Mr Rogers, I don't think that there's much
chance of our escaping them, and as to beating them off, even if the
fellows aboard here would fight, we couldn't do it, unless they take
fright at the sound of our pop-guns,' I answered.

"`We must try to frighten them, at all events,' he said. `It won't do
to let a band of ruffians come aboard and frighten Miss O'Regan, and
perhaps carry off the colonel, if they have any accusation against him.'

"I told him that must depend on what the Spaniards knew about the brig.
It wasn't likely that two men-of-war could be frightened off by a
merchantman, though we had four guns and might put a bold face on the
matter.

"The other midshipmen now came forward, and stood with us watching the
strangers. There was a chance, but only just a chance, that we should
escape them. The skipper and the mates seemed to be in a great taking.
The corvette was coming up fast, and the brig of war not far astern of
her, carrying all the sail they could set.

"The breeze still held, the corvette by this time was about a mile and a
half away on our starboard bow; the skipper began to look as if we
should do it, and I thought so too, when, just then, our sails began to
hang down, and presently flapped loudly against the masts; the skipper
gave a stamp with his foot on the deck, and swore a loud oath. There we
lay becalmed, while the corvette and brig still felt the wind off the
land.

"`It's all up with us, I'm afraid,' said I to Mr Rogers.

"`It's high time to show our teeth,'