fficer in his eagerness and interest in all that was going on.

"Oh, one word, Mr Burnett," said the skipper, as he passed where the
lad was standing. "Hadn't you better go below? You've got to think
about who you are if the Spaniards take us," and then with a
good-humoured smile as he read the vexation in the boy's countenance,
"Hadn't I better lock you up in the cabin?"

"I say, Captain Reed," cried the boy, in a voice full of protest, "I do
wish you wouldn't do this. I can't help having a nasty temper, and this
puts me all of a tingle. It seems so hard that men should always laugh
at boys and think they are cowards. We can't help being young."

"Of course you can't, my lad," said the skipper, patting him on the
back. "There, I will never tease you again. In all probability there
won't be anything serious, but if there is, take care of yourself, my
boy, for I shouldn't like you to be hurt."

He gave his listener a pleasant nod, and hurried on towards the mate,
while Fitz joined Poole, who had nothing now to do, and they occupied
themselves in keeping watch for the expected boats and going about
amongst the men, whose general appearance seemed to Fitz to be that they
were going to some entertainment by way of a treat.

But the treat promised to be serious, for rifles were here and there
placed ready for use, and close to every man there was a capstan-bar,
evidently intended to use as a club, a most effective weapon whose
injuries would not prove of a very dangerous type.

Fitz whispered as much to his companion, who nodded and then replied--

"Well, that depends on what the lads call the spaniel dogs. The dad
doesn't want it to be too serious, of course, but we can't help it if
these fellows make our lads savage. You see, we've got cutlasses and
rifles, and fellows forget to be gentle if they are hurt."

"But we are not at war with Don Villarayo's State."

"No," said Poole, "and Villarayo is not at war with our schooner and the
men, but if he begins giving us Olivers he must expect to get Rolands
back. Those who play at bowls, you know, must expect rubbers, and when
Englishmen rub, they rub hard."

Fitz half turned away to look astern. "I say," he said, "aren't they a
long time coming?"

"No; they had a long way to row."

"Seems a long time. Perhaps they have thought better of it and gone
back."

"Think so? Well, I don't. They are sure to come. But I dare say it
will be a good quarter of a