er personally or through my
agents; but rest assured that a day of reckoning will come, when you
shall curse the hour that gave you birth. I will fight you wherever we
may happen to meet, and let the strongest conquer. If you fear not to
meet me, hoist a red swallow-tailed burgee to your fore royal masthead,
that I may recognise your ship from others, Morillo."

"When did this letter arrive, and who brought it?" demanded I of the
waiter, who stood by as I read the document.

"A black boy brought it, about half an hour ago, sah, an' said I was to
be suah an' gib it you, sah, an' dat dar was no ansah, sah," replied the
fellow.

"Did you know the boy?" demanded I.

"No, sah; nebber saw him befoah to my knowledge, sah," was the reply.

"Did you take enough notice of him to be able to recognise him should
you happen to see him again?" asked I.

"I's afraid not, sah; those black boys are all exactly alike, you know,
sah," replied the fellow, who was himself as black as the ace of spades.

"Well," said I, "if you _should_ happen to see him again, and can manage
to detain him until you can give him into custody, it will be worth five
guineas to you. I should very much like to see that boy and ask him a
question or two."

"All right, sah; if I see him I'll stop him, nebbah feah, sah," replied
the waiter, with a grin; and therewith I hurried away to my room to
dress.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

THE END OF THE GUERRILLA.

I arrived at the Pen just in time for dinner, and found myself one of an
unusually large party of guests, several men-o'-war being in port at the
time, while a large contingent of civilians might always be met at the
admiral's table. The old gentleman received me with all his wonted
kindness and cordiality, introducing me to such of his guests as I had
not met before, and relating over the dinner-table, with much gusto, the
story of my abduction and escape. Then I produced Morillo's letter of
defiance, which I took with me to show him, and which added a fillip to
the conversation that lasted us until the cloth was drawn. We sat
rather late over our wine, and when we rose to go the admiral invited me
into his library for a moment, and said--

"Well, my lad, d'ye intend to accept that piratical rascal's challenge?"

"Most assuredly I do, sir, if I can but fall in with him," answered I.

"Very well," said the admiral, "you shall have every opportunity to give
him the thrashing that he so richly de