"Well, sir," began the Yankee, "I guess your demand is beyond your treaty powers." "I know all about that. I must have the hatches off." "And you are detaining me and overhauling my cargo on no grounds whatever--" "Will you do it at once?" broke in the British officer. "I repeat--ON NO GROUNDS WHATEVER; will cause an in--ter--na--tional difficulty, and may bring re--markably unpleasant con--sequences to your captain. Now--" "Off with your hatches!" cried the lieutenant. "Sir!" "If you don't, by George, I will!" "You know clearly what you're doing, sir?" "I do." "And you know the risk you run?" "I do. No more palaver. Off with them at once, or I'll break them open." Further resistance was useless. The thing was done; and the moment the first hatch was raised the sickening effluvium that issued from the hold proclaimed the truth. Nearly three hundred slaves were packed between-decks, many of the poor creatures standing so close that they could not lie down. With a look of speechless contempt at the young mate of the schooner, the lieutenant walked to the side of the ship and waved his handkerchief. That instant a loud British cheer rang over the water, given by the blue-jackets, who could be seen clustering in the rigging like bees. "I told our skipper judgment would overtake us," said the Yankee. "Say, mister," he added, in another tone, "seeing that the game's up, suppose we have a glass of iced champagne downstairs?" The lieutenant hesitated. To drink with the mate of a slaver! But--iced champagne! Slowly he moved toward the companionway. "I don't mind if I do," he said, at length; "and you may as well bring up your papers with the drinks, for I shall carry them on board the Petrel. Of course you understand that you are my prize." And having set a guard at the hatchways, the lieutenant descended the cabin stairs. The iced champagne was duly forthcoming, and under its genial influence Lieutenant Brabazon began to feel something like pity for the young mate who had been so early seduced into the paths of crime. Probably he had a mother or a sweetheart somewhere in the States who imagined that he was already on his way home, whereas now his character was ruined, even if he escaped a long term of imprisonment. This feeling was strengthened as he saw that his companion was gazing mournfully at his glass without speaking a word. At length the young man lifted his head. "Say, mister, what'll they do to me, do you think?" "I can't tell. Of course you know that what you have been engaged in is a kind of piracy?" "No!" "I believe so. Cargo and crew are confiscated, of course. What they will do with you I can't tell." "They won't hang me, will they?"