sters are well worth picking up; but of course, the craft we
shall be chiefly on the lookout for will be those from abroad. Some
of these have very valuable cargoes. They bring copper and lead,
and sometimes silver from the mines of Mexico and South America.
Some of them carry a good lot of silver, but it is too much to hope
that we should run across such a prize as that. They bring over
hides, too; they are worth money. Then, of course, there are ships
that have been trading up the Mediterranean with France and Italy
or the Levant.

"So, you see, there is a considerable variety in the chances of
what we may light upon. Coasters are, of course, the staple, so to
speak. If we have anything like luck, we shall not do badly, with
them. The others we must look upon as the prizes in the lottery."

Before the sun set the breeze came up to them, and the brig was at
once headed for the land. At ten o'clock the lights of Malaga were
made out on the port beam, and the brig bore away a little to the
east. Two hours later the land was looming, not far ahead.

Sail was got off her, and a man placed in the chains, and soundings
taken. This was continued until the water shoaled to eight fathoms,
when the brig was brought up, head to wind, and the anchor let go.
Then an anchor watch of four men was set, and the rest of the crew
allowed to turn in.

At daybreak the officers were out again, and it was found that the
brig was lying within a quarter of a mile of the land, in a slight
indentation of the coast. The wind had died away, and the sails
were loosed, and suffered to fall against the masts.

"It could not be better," Captain Lockett said. "We look, now, as
if we had been trying to make up or down the coast, and had been
forced to come to anchor here. Fortunately there don't seem to be
any villages near, so we are not likely to have anyone coming out
to us."

"How far do you think we are from Malaga, captain?"

"About ten miles, I should say, Bob. Why do you ask?"

"I was only thinking whether it would be possible for me to make my
way there, and find out what vessels there are in harbour, and
whether any of them are likely to be coming this way. But if it is
ten miles, I am afraid it is too far. I should have to pass through
villages; and I might be questioned where I came from, and where I
was going. I don't know that my Spanish would pass muster, if I
were questioned like that.

"I should be all right, if I were once