you away
from that Irishman before your impetuous temper had time to precipitate
a disaster."

"I see," said I, "Well--"

I was interrupted by a sound of hailing that seemed to proceed, not from
our own forecastle but from some spot a little way ahead of us; and I at
once concluded that its source must be the strange barque, the existence
of which I had entirely forgotten in the interest of the discussion
between myself and Miss Onslow. I listened for a reply from O'Gorman,
but there was none; and presently the hailing was repeated--this time
from a much nearer point--and immediately followed by an excited
shouting and jabbering, in which I believed I could distinguish a word
or two of French. I sprang to my feet, and was about to rush up on
deck, when Miss Onslow checked the movement by laying her hand upon my
arm, and saying:

"_Please_ oblige me by staying here. If you were to go on deck, that
wretch would only insult you again; so why lay yourself open to such
treatment, since you can do absolutely nothing? You _must_ school
yourself to allow those men to have their own way, since neither
persuasion nor force are of any avail with them."

"True," answered I. "But it is instinctive for a sailor--and especially
an _officer_--to rush on deck when he hears such an outcry as that,"--as
the shouting and jabbering became momentarily nearer and more excited.

At that instant O'Gorman's voice shouted an order to "Stand by!"
immediately followed by a command to the helmsman to "Hard a-starboard!"
and presently there occurred a gentle shock--showing that the brig had
collided with something apparently on the rounding of her starboard
bow--accompanied by a most outrageous clamour, in which "S-a-c-r-es" and
other French expletives plentifully abounded.

"Now, take a turn anywhere you can, and as often as you can," shouted
O'Gorman, "and then follow me. And if they offer any resistance, knock
'em down, or heave 'em overboard."

"Why, good Heavens! they have run the barque aboard, and are taking
her!" I exclaimed, astonished and shocked beyond expression, as it
dawned upon me that the wretches were committing a further act of
piracy. And I made as though to spring to my feet. In an instant Miss
Onslow had seized my hand in hers, gripping me so firmly that I could
not break away from her without exercising a certain measure of
violence.

"And if they _are_?" said she, "can you do anything to prevent it?"

"No,"