f the brig over the point; but I
suppose they fancied they were those of the _Mary_, for they continued
their course. In a short time, however, they perceived their mistake;
but the brig had got clear of the land, and they were full in view of
any sharp eyes stationed on her tops. They directly pulled back, and we
lost sight of them almost immediately.

The brig came on, and at first, after rounding the point, stood on a
course which would have carried her inside of us, but, on discovering
the boat, she again stood towards us. The fright of all hands in the
boat was excessive, and the bold blustering pirates proved themselves
cowards indeed. The African was the bravest, for the death he expected
had few terrors for him. He even had presence of mind sufficient to
suggest that we should invent a plausible tale of having been cast
adrift by the rest of the crew of a ship who had run off with her: All
eagerly grasped at the idea; but before the tale was thoroughly
concocted, the brig was alongside of us, and we were very
unceremoniously hauled on board.

We were immediately taken before the captain and his officers in full
uniform, who stood round him on the quarter-deck.

"What brought you out here?" he demanded of the mate, who from his dress
seemed to be the officer. Pinto told the tale which had just been
invented.

"And what are those boats doing inshore of us?" was the next question.

"I know nothing of the boats," was Pinto's answer; but the appearance
and dogged manner of my companions had raised suspicions in the minds of
the American officers which were not easily allayed.

Meantime the brig had hauled her wind, and was standing inshore with the
lead going, in the direction the boats had taken. Officers with sharp
eyes were also stationed at each fore-yardarm to look out for coral
reefs. The _Foam's_ boats reached the entrance to the lagoon just as
the brig dropped her anchor, it being considered dangerous to approach
nearer the shore.

The brig, I found, was the _Neptune_, Captain Faith. She was a
remarkably fine vessel, carrying nineteen guns, and had been sent out
expressly to look for the _Foam_. Captain Faith and his officers were
burning to revenge the insult offered them shortly before by the
schooner. It appeared that they had, by some means, notice of her
whereabouts, and when they saw the retreating boats, they had little
doubt of the true state of the case.

We were all kept separat