or
revenge.

The preparations were much the same as were made before, but with this
addition, that the carpenter, looking as fresh as if he had passed the
night in his bunk, was hard at work with four men, lashing spare spars
to the shrouds, so as to form a stout rail about eighteen inches above
the bulwarks, to which the netting was firmly attached.

There was no question this time about arming the crew with rifles, for
every one felt that success on the part of Villarayo's men would mean no
quarter.

"Then you mean this to be a regular fight?" Fitz whispered to Poole,
after watching what was going on for some time.

"Why, of course! Why not?"

"Oh, I don't like the idea of killing people," said Fitz, wrinkling up
his forehead.

"Well, I don't," said Poole, laughing. "I don't like killing anything.
I should never have done for a butcher, but I would a great deal rather
kill one of Villarayo's black-looking ruffians than let him kill me."

"But do you think they really would massacre us?" said Fitz. "They
can't help looking ruffianly."

"No, but they have got a most horribly bad character. Father and I have
heard of some very ugly things that they have done in some of their
fights. They are supposed to be civilised, and I dare say the officers
are all right; but if you let loose a lot of half-savage fellows armed
with knives and get their blood up, I don't think you need expect much
mercy. They needn't come and interfere with us unless they like, but if
they come shouting and striking at us they must take the consequences."

"Yes, I suppose so," said Fitz; "but it seems a pity."

"Awful," replied Poole; "but there always has been war, and people take
a deal of civilising before they give it up. And they don't seem to
then," said the lad, with a dry smile.

"No," said Fitz; and the little discussion came to an end.

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE.

WORSE THAN EVER.

"This is bad, my lads," said the skipper, joining the boys.

"What's wrong, father?" said Poole. "Why, it's close upon sundown, and
it begins to look as if they are going to steal upon us in the dark,
which will give them a lot of advantage. I would rather have been able
to see what we are about. What an evening, though, for a fight! I have
journeyed about the islands and Central America a good deal, and it is
nearly all beautiful, but this river and its cliffs, seen in the warm
glow, is just my idea of a perfect paradise. Look at the