re was perceived on board of
the frigate, and made them sure that it was a Spanish convoy attempting
to escape. The fire-engine was got on deck, sails wetted, and every
exertion made to come up. But about four o'clock in the afternoon, when
the frigate was eight or nine miles off, it fell calm, as Gascoigne had
predicted, and the heads of all the vessels, as well as the frigate,
were now round the compass.

"There's out boats," said Mr Oxbelly; "they will have a long pull, and
all for nothing."

"How savage they will be!" observed Gascoigne.

"Never mind that," replied Jack; "Mesty says that dinner is ready."

After dinner, they all went on deck, and found that the boats had
separated, one pulling for each of the prizes, and two for the
_Rebiera_. In less than an hour they would probably be alongside.

"And now let us decide how we are to act. We must not resist, if they
attempt to impress the men?"

"I've been thinking upon that matter, Mr Easy, and it appears to me
that the men must be permitted to act as they please, and that we must
be neuter. I, as a lieutenant in his Majesty's service, cannot of
course act, neither can Mr Gascoigne. You are not in the service, but
I should recommend you to do the same. That the men have a right to
resist, if possible, is admitted; they always do so, and never are
punished for so doing. Under the guns of the frigate, of course, we
should only have to submit; but those two boats do not contain more than
twenty-five men, I should think, and our men are the stronger party. We
had better leave it to them, and stand neuter."

"Dat very good advice," said Mesty; "leab it to us;" and Mesty walked
away forward where the seamen were already in consultation.

Jack also agreed to the prudence of this measure, and he perceived that
the seamen, after a consultation with Mesty, were all arming themselves
for resistance.

The boats were now close on board, and English colours were hoisted at
the gaff. This did not, however, check the impetus of the boats, which,
with their ensigns trailing in the still water astern of them, dashed
alongside, and an officer leaped on board, cutlass in hand, followed by
the seamen of the frigate. The men of the _Rebiera_ remained collected
forward--Easy, Gascoigne, and Oxbelly aft.

"What vessel is this?" cried the lieutenant who commanded the boats.

Jack, with the greatest politeness, took off his hat, and told him that
it was the _Rebiera