‘No, sir,’ answered Keeling stiffly; ‘we gave her a sight of our ensign this morning; but she showed no colours in return, and I am not a man to keep my hat off to one who will not respond.’ ‘Dot iss my vay,’ exclaimed Peter Hemskirk, bestowing a train of nods on the skipper. ‘But, captain,’ said Mrs. Joliffe, a nervous gentle-faced middle-aged lady, with soft white hair, ‘have you any good reason for supposing that the ship may prove dangerous to us?’ ‘Madam,’ responded Keeling with a bow, and you noticed the prevailing condition amongst us by the general nervous inclining of ears towards the old fellow to catch what he said, ‘there is reason to believe that certain Spaniards of the island of Cuba have equipped two or three smart vessels to act the part of marine highwaymen. The authorities wink at the business, I am told. Their practice is to bring ships to and board them, and plunder the best of what they may come across. Last year, a West Indiaman named the _Jamaica Belle_ was overhauled by one of these craft, who took specie amounting to twelve thousand pounds out of her. I believe they are not cut-throats in the old piratic sense.’ ‘Oh, don’t speak of cut-throats!’ cried Mrs. Hudson. ‘Will they dare to attack us--the monsters!’ ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ said Keeling, ‘pray, clearly understand: my suspicions of the stranger may be ill-founded. Meanwhile, our business is to put ourselves in a posture of defence, ready for whatever may happen.’ ‘Certainly,’ exclaimed the colonel very emphatically with a look round; and then speaking with his eyes fixed upon Mr. Johnson; ‘I presume we shall be able to count upon all our male friends here assembled to assist your crew to the utmost of their powers, should the stranger make any attempt upon this ship?’ ‘We shall expect you to cover yourself with glory, colonel,’ said Mr. Johnson, in a familiar sarcastic voice; ‘and I shall be happy to write and print a full description of your behaviour, sir.’ ‘I am quite willing to fight,’ exclaimed Mr. Fairthorne in an effeminate voice. ‘I mean that I shall be glad to thoot; but I am no thwordthman.’ ‘Possengers hov no beesness to vight,’ exclaimed Mynheer Hemskirk, enlarging his immense waistcoat by obtruding his chest; ‘dey gets in der vay of dem as knows vot to do.’ Miss Temple bit her lip to conceal a smile. ‘That’s all very well,’ exclaimed Riley, talking at Miss Hudson; ‘but suppose, Hemskirk, you should find some greasy Spaniard with earrings and oily ringlets rifling your boxes, hauling out all the money you’ve got, pocketing that fine silver-mounted meerschaum pipe of yours’---- ‘I vould coot orff hiss head,’ answered the Dutchman, breathing hard. ‘Gentlemen, you are unnecessarily alarming the ladies,’ cried old marline-spike from the head of the table. ‘I suppose there’s no lack of small-arms with you, captain?’ roared the Colonel; ‘plenty for us here as well as for your men?’