lish, inflicting the most atrocious
tortures upon all who fall into his hands. In the dim light we at first
mistook your schooner for the _Guerrilla_, and that is why we fired upon
you as we did. Permit me, senor, to express my profound regret at my so
unfortunate mistake, and my extreme gratification that it was not
followed by a disastrous result."

At this compliment we of course exchanged bows once more; after which I
took the liberty of addressing to this very polite and polished skipper
a few questions with regard to his ship, coupled with a hint that I was
anxious to complete without delay my arrangements for placing a prize
crew on board and bearing up for Jamaica.

Our prize, I then learned, was the _Dona Dolores_ of Cadiz, a Spanish
West Indiaman of eleven hundred and eighty-four tons register, homeward-
bound from Cartagena, Maracaibo, and La Guayra, with a very valuable
general cargo and twenty-eight passengers, ten of whom were ladies.
Captain Manuel Fernandez--the skipper--was most polite, and anxious to
meet my views in every way; at least, so he informed me. He conducted
me into the ship's handsome saloon and introduced me to his
passengers,--the female portion of which seemed to be frightened nearly
out of their wits,--and was kind enough to promise me that, if it would
be agreeable to me, the whole of his people should assist my prize crew
to work the ship. This suggestion, however, did _not_ happen to be
agreeable to me, so I was compelled to explain, as politely as I could
phrase it, that my duty compelled me not only to decline his magnanimous
offer, but to secure the whole of his crew, officers and men, below, and
also to remove all arms of every description from the ship; after which,
if he would give me his parole, it would afford me much pleasure to
receive him as a guest on board the schooner. I could see that this was
a bitter pill for the haughty don to swallow, but I was politely
insistent, and so of course he had to yield, which he eventually did
with the best grace he could muster; and an hour later the _Dolores_,
with Christie, the master's mate, in command, and ten of our lads as a
prize crew, was bowling along before the wind with studding-sails set
aloft and alow, while the _Tern_ followed almost within hail; it being
my intention to escort so valuable a prize into port, and thus take
every possible precaution against her recapture.

CHAPTER NINE.

WE ENCOUNTER AND FIGHT T