t they all repaired. Our hero
tried the door, and found it fast; they beat it open, and were received
with loud screams from one side of the cabin, and the discharge of two
pistols from the other, fortunately without injury: those who had fired
the pistols were an elderly man and a lad about the age of our hero.
They were thrown down and secured; the cabin was searched, and nobody
else found in it but three women; one old and shrivelled, the other two,
although with their countenances distorted with terror, were lovely as
Houris. So thought Jack, as he took off his hat, and made them a very
low bow with his usual politeness, as they crouched, half dressed, in a
corner. He told them in English that they had nothing to fear, and
begged that they would attend to their toilets. The ladies made no
reply, because, in the first place, they did not know what Jack said,
and in the next, they could not speak English.

Mesty interrupted Jack in his attentions, by pointing out that they must
all go upon deck--so Jack again took off his hat and bowed, and then
followed his men, who led away the two prisoners taken in the cabin. It
was now five o'clock in the morning, and there was movement on board of
the other vessels, which lay not far from the ship.

"Now then," said Jack, "what shall we do with the prisoners?--could we
not send the boat and bring our own vessel alongside, and put them all
in, tied as they are? We should then get rid of them."

"Massa Easy, you be one very fine officer one of dese days. Dat damn
good idea, anyhow;--but suppose we send our own boat, what they _tink_
on board of de oder vessel? Lower down lilly boat from stern, put in
four men, and drop vessel 'longside--dat it."

This was done; the cutter was on the seaward side of the ship, and, as
the ship was the outermost vessel, was concealed from the view of the
Spaniards on board of the other vessels, and in the battery on shore.
As soon as the lateen vessel was alongside, the men who had already been
secured on deck, amounting to seven, were lowered into her, and laid
upon the beans in the hold; all, except the captain, the two cabin
prisoners, and the captain's servant. They then went down below, took
off one part of the hatches, and ordered the Spaniards up from the hold:
as they came on deck they were made fast and treated in the same manner.
Mesty and the men went down to examine if there were any left
concealed, and finding that they were