or if he is an honest trader he will continue to hold on his present
course, whilst if he is not he will certainly alter it so as to
intercept you; you will thus have plenty of time to prepare for him, as
he cannot get alongside in less than a couple of hours unless the breeze
freshens."

"I was just thinking of that," remarked Don Felix, "and I will do so.
For the sake of my--ah--my--passengers, I must be cautious. We will
wear ship, gentlemen, if you please, and then go to breakfast."

This was done, the operation occupying nearly a quarter of an hour, in
consequence of the lightness of the wind, and we then, a party of four,
went below to breakfast.

The steward was only just pouring out our chocolate when the first
lieutenant came down to say that the schooner had altered her course
about four points to the southward, and evidently intended to intercept
us.

Don Felix looked very blank for a moment or two on hearing this, then
his brow cleared, and he remarked:

"Pooh! she cannot mean to attack us; she merely wishes to speak. Hoist
the Spanish ensign, sir, she will not interfere with us when she sees
_that_!"

I must say I had my doubts whether the mere exhibition of the Spanish
ensign would have the deterrent effect Captain Calderon anticipated;
however, I reflected it could not possibly matter to me--unless, of
course, the craft were British, which I did not believe--so I went on
composedly with my breakfast. My companions were evidently somewhat
perturbed, the news just brought down into the cabin interfered
considerably with the enjoyment of their meal, and I could see that they
were anxiously waiting for me to finish in order that they might go on
deck and see how matters were progressing. I therefore brought my
repast to a hurried conclusion, and we all returned to the upper regions
together.

The strange sail had by this time reduced her distance to some five
miles from the _Santa Catalina_; and, from the course she was steering,
it could no longer be doubted that she intended to pass close to us, if
nothing more. Captain Calderon lost not a moment in bringing his glass
to bear upon her, and so intent was his scrutiny and examination that it
was fully five minutes before he removed his eye from the tube. When he
did so he handed the glass to me, and I in turn had a look at her. She
had now raised her hull clear of the horizon, but owing to the intense
heat her outline was so magnified and dist