ese civil guards."

Bob saw that the captain was perfectly right, and said so, frankly.

"I see I should have been a fool, indeed, if I had got into the
row, captain; and I shall remember what you say, in future. Still,
you know, I didn't get into it."

"No, I give you credit for that, lad; but you acknowledge your
strong impulse to do so. Now, in future you had better have an
impulse just the other way and, when you find yourself in the midst
of a row in which you have no personal concern, let your first
thought be how to get out of it, as quickly as you can. I got into
more than one scrape, myself, when I was a young fellow, from the
conduct of messmates who had got too much liquor in them; but it
did them no good, and did me harm.

"So, take my advice: fight your own battles, but never interfere to
fight other people's, unless you are absolutely convinced that they
are in the right. If you are, stick by them as long as you have a
leg to stand upon."

Chapter 6: The Rock Fortress.

On the third day after her arrival at Lisbon, the Antelope's anchor
was hove up, and she dropped down the river. Half an hour later, a
barque and another brig came out and joined her; the three captains
having agreed, the day before, that they would sail in company, as
they were all bound through the Straits. Captain Lockett had
purchased two 14-pounder guns, at Lisbon; and the brig, therefore,
now carried three guns on each side, besides her long 18 pounder.
The barque carried fourteen guns, and the other brig ten; so that
they felt confident of being able to beat off any French privateer
they might meet, on the way.

One or two suspicious sails were sighted, as they ran down the
coast; but none of these approached within gunshot, the three craft
being, evidently, too strong to be meddled with. Rounding Cape St.
Vincent at a short distance, they steered for the mouth of the
Straits. After the bold cliffs of Portugal, Bob was disappointed
with the aspect of the Spanish coast.

"Ah! It is all very well," the first mate replied, when he
expressed his opinion. "Give me your low, sandy shores, and let
those who like have what you call the fine, bold rocks.

"Mind, I don't mean coasts with sandbanks lying off them; but a
coast with a shelving beach, and pretty deep water, right up to it.
If you get cast on a coast like that of Portugal, it is certain
death. Your ship will get smashed up like an eggshell, against
those rocks yo