mfortable on all sides."

But Captain Morris would not listen to reason, and so the guns were
secured, and the ports closed, and the little Zanthe went bounding on
her course to Santa Rosara.

She came to anchor in a deep bay which she entered at nightfall, and
almost immediately a shore boat, under the command of Martinez,
boarded the brig. The meeting between the smuggler and his bride was
so affectionate, as to call a tear even into the eye of Mr. Pardon G.
Simpkins. The smuggler laughed loudly when he heard of the
discomfiture of Captain Morena, the discarded suitor of the senorita
Maria.

The next day all hands were employed in landing the remainder of the
cargo, and at night a very worthy and accommodating priest came off
from the shore, and united Martinez and Maria in the bonds of holy
matrimony. The nuptials were celebrated with great rejoicings and
revelry, and the fun was kept up till a late hour of the night, when
the happy couple retired to the cabin.

The first faint streaks of dawn were beginning to appear in the east,
when the ever vigilant ear of the mate, who never took a wink of sleep
while the brig was lying on shore, detected the cautious plunge of
oars, and soon he descried a barge pulling towards the brig.

"Catch a weazle asleep," said the Yankee to himself; "these greasers
don't know as much as a farrer hen." And without arousing the captain,
he quietly mustered the crew, and with as little noise as possible,
the guns were run out upon the starboard side, which the boat was fast
approaching.

A moment after he hailed. No answer was given, but the light of the
lanterns flashed on the arms of a large body of men, and the mate
recognized the figure of the captain of the Vengador in the stern
sheets.

"Sheer off," shouted the mate, "or by the shade of Gin'ral Jackson,
I'll blow you all to Davy Jones."

"Pull for your lives," shouted the voice of Morena; and the boat
bounded towards the brig.

"Fire!" cried the mate.

Crash went the guns! The iron hurtled through the air, and the
splintering of wood, as the metal struck the barge, was distinctly
heard amid the groans and shrieks of the vigilantes.

In one moment it was all over. Morris and Martinez rushed to the deck.

"What's the matter, Pardon?" asked the former.

"Nothin', cap'n--cap'n, nothin'," answered the mate. "Only there aint
quite so many greasers in the world at present, as there was five
minutes since. Morena broke his p