't even seen him throughout the affair."

"I am glad to hear that," said the skipper, his brow clearing. "To tell
you the whole truth, Ralph, I have been feeling very angry with you; for
when I heard that the poor boy had gone in your boat, I quite thought it
must have been with your connivance. And I need scarcely point out to
you that I could not approve of such a child as that being allowed to
take part in an expedition of so dangerous a character, where he would
only be in the way, and could be of no possible assistance. However,
since you say that you know nothing about it, I suppose he must have
slipped down into the boat surreptitiously and stowed himself away.
Now, as there is nothing particular for you to do, you may as well--"

At this moment Mr Flinn entered.

"Sit down, Mr Flinn, sit down, man," said the skipper. "Well, how are
things looking on board the prizes by this time?"

"Capitally, sir, I am happy to say," replied Flinn, with a beaming phiz.
"The wounded have nearly all been attended to, and we may begin to
transfer them at once. Little Fisher seems in a somewhat more promising
condition now that his wounds have been dressed, and the others are also
doing well. As to the prizes, the brigantine has such a heterogeneous
assortment of goods in her hold that her cargo alone, which is very
valuable, is sufficient to betray her character. Her skipper was
killed--by you, Ralph, if I understand them rightly--early in the
attack, but the mate, or lieutenant as he calls himself, swears she is a
privateer. However, as he cannot produce anything like a commission, I
am very glad I am not in his shoes. The craft is called the `Juanita,'
and the mate says they were bound from Cumana to Cartagena, but his
papers look to me remarkably like forgeries. The ship is the `San
Nicolas,' bound from La Guayra to Cadiz, with a general cargo and--two
large boxes of silver bricks, which we found stowed away down in the
run. _Her_ papers are all perfectly correct, and she is evidently a
prize to the brigantine. The rascals on board her profess to be her
regular crew, and disown all acquaintance with the crew of the
`Juanita,' but there are twice as many men on board as are entered in
the ship's books, and altogether their tale is far too flimsy to hold
water. I have no doubt they are a prize crew from the `Juanita,' and
that the ship's crew have all been murdered. So that we have done a
very good-night's work,