true; you are surely joking with us, senor!"

"I was never more serious in my life, Captain Calderon," I retorted;
"and to show you how grave I consider our situation, I beg that you will
allow my men and myself to assist you in the defence of the ship."

The little gentleman turned almost livid for a moment, and I really
thought he was frightened; but after an ineffectual effort or two to
steady his voice, he managed to stutter out passionately:

"No, senor, no; certainly not! Your offer is almost an insult--though
perhaps you did not intend it as such. The _Santa Catalina_ is a
Spanish ship, and she is manned by a crew who, with her officers, are
quite able to take care of her and to uphold the honour and dignity of
yonder flag," pointing as he spoke to the languidly floating ensign at
the peak.

"Very good, Don Felix," said I; "you, of course, know the capabilities
of your crew far better than I do. But the schooner there is sure to be
crowded with men, who, to my personal knowledge, are as desperate a set
of ruffians as ever trod a deck. You will have all your work cut out to
beat them off; and if you fail, what is to become of us all? I warn you
that neither I nor my men will submit tamely and without a struggle to
have our throats cut. If the pirates gain possession of this ship we
shall fight for our lives, and if we prove victorious I shall consider
the _Santa Catalina_ my lawful prize."

"And you shall be welcome to her, senor, on those conditions," said Don
Felix, with all the hauteur he could muster. "At present I must request
that you and your people will retire below and consider yourselves as
close prisoners until you hear further from me. And I rely upon your
courtesy and sense of honour to relieve me of the necessity for calling
upon my crew, in the present critical state of affairs, to enforce my
commands."

"You shall be instantly obeyed, Captain Calderon," said I, highly
nettled at so very unnecessary an exhibition of warmth. "Come, my
lads," I continued to my own people, who were lounging about the decks
and looking somewhat wistfully at the guns, "below with you, every man,
the _Dolphins_ are to have no hand in this fight it seems. Come, down
with you; no disobedience; for shame, men; would you disgrace me before
all these Spaniards?"

This was enough, and the few who seemed at first inclined to hang back
now pressed forward eager to show their obedience by being among the
first t