at all events. Now signal the _Favourite_ and _Drake_
to chase to the nor'ard; that will send them through the Mona Passage,
and leave us with a clear sea."

A quarter of an hour later the three cruisers which had caused the
mutineers so much uneasiness were thrashing to windward under every rag
they could spread; when Farmer bore up and ran away to the southward and
westward with studding-sails set on both sides of the ship.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

LA GUAYRA.

After breakfast that morning the men were mustered on the quarter-deck;
and Farmer, with some half a dozen of the other mutineers, discussed in
their presence and hearing the question of what should be done with the
ship now that they had her. There was, of course, a great deal of wild
talk, especially among the foreigners--of whom, most unfortunately for
the ill-fated officers of the ship, there were far too many on board--
and at one period of the discussion it seemed by no means improbable
that the frigate would be converted into a pirate, in which event there
can be no doubt but that, for a time at least, she would have proved a
terrible scourge to all honest navigators in those seas. Farmer,
however, was strongly in favour of going over to the Spaniards; and in
the end his counsels prevailed, though he met with a great deal of
opposition.

This point settled, the ship's head was laid to the southward; and
sunrise on the fourth morning succeeding the mutiny found us off La
Guayra, with a flag of truce flying. The signal was duly observed and
answered from the shore; upon which the gig was lowered, and, with a
white flag floating from her ensign staff, her crew in their holiday
rig, and Farmer with three other ringleaders of the mutiny in her stern-
sheets, she shoved off for the harbour. She was absent for the greater
part of the day, it being seven bells in the afternoon watch before she
was observed pulling out of the harbour again; and when she made her
appearance it was at once observed that she was accompanied by several
heavy launches full of men. It took the flotilla fully an hour to pull
off to us, and when they reached the frigate it was seen that the
occupants of the shore-boats were Spanish seamen, with a sprinkling of
officers among them. On coming alongside the entire rabble at once
boarded; the ship was formally handed over by Farmer to an officer in a
resplendent uniform, whose first act was to direct one of his aides to
strike the w