ooner is a man-of-war, her commander
shall be made to apologise for the insult he has offered to the British
flag.'

"`Of course he will, and if you choose to send on board you will find
that what I have told you is the case,' he answered, biting his lips, as
if, so I supposed, he disliked having his honour doubted.

"`Well, you will remain here, and I will send one of my boats on board
the schooner. Should any treacherous trick be played, I shall make you
answerable,' I said, eyeing him sternly. He did not quail, and I was
pretty well satisfied that he spoke the truth. I accordingly ordered
Norris to go on board the schooner and ascertain the facts of the case,
and to tell the captain that I wished to see him immediately on board
the brig; after he was gone, I felt no little anxiety as to the
reception he might meet with. The Spanish midshipman, however, appeared
at his ease, and accompanied me over the brig; I found that she was a
brand-new vessel, having never before been to sea; she was laden with
cotton goods, and had the planking for a slave-deck, with leaguers, and
a large cauldron for boiling farina; indeed, she was in every way fitted
for a slaver, and would, I felt sure, if we could not stop her career,
bring back some seven or eight hundred slaves in her capacious hold.

"`She is a slaver, you will allow?' I said, turning to the midshipman.

"`A slaver!' he said, `worse than that. She is a regular pirate; as
such we captured her.'

"Notwithstanding what he said, I was convinced that she was simply a
slaver, though the Spaniards are generally in no hurry to take such
vessels. We returned on deck, and I kept my eye on my friend and his
men.

"The brig's crew had all been removed, he told me.

"`We shall see them, then, hanging at your yardarm tomorrow morning,' I
observed.

"`Oh no! we do not treat our prisoners in so summary a manner,' he
answered.

"We paced the deck for some time together, while I turned a somewhat
anxious eye towards the schooner, hoping soon to see Norris return.

"Norris, as I afterwards learnt, as he got near the Spanish schooner
observed her guns pointed down at his boat, ready to sink her in a
moment. Undaunted, however, he pulled alongside. No opposition was
offered to his coming on board. When he got on deck he found the
fighting-lanterns ranged along it, sixty marines drawn up with muskets
in their hands and swords by their sides, and fully two hundred men at