'Plain enough,' said the admiral. 'Confounded young scamp, to embroil me in this way! Not that his marrying the girl is any business of mine; but I will punish him for disobedience of orders, at all events. Try him by a court-martial, by heavens!' The secretary made no reply: he knew very well that the admiral would do no such thing. 'The _Enterprise_ anchored at daylight, sir,' reported the secretary as the admiral sat down to breakfast. 'And where's Mr. Templemore?' 'He is outside in the veranda. They have told him below of what he has been accused, and he swears it is false. I believe him, sir, for he appears half mad at the intelligence.' 'Stop a moment. Have you looked over his log?' 'Yes, sir. It appears that he was off Porto Rico on the 19th; but the Spanish governor's letter says that he was there on the 17th, and again made his appearance on the 19th. I mentioned it to him, and he declares upon his honour that he was only there on the 19th, as stated in his log.' 'Well, let him come in and speak for himself.' Edward came in, in a state of great agitation. 'Well, Mr. Templemore, you have been playing pretty tricks! What is all this, sir? Where is the girl, sir--the governor's daughter?' 'Where she is, sir, I cannot pretend to say; but I feel convinced that she has been carried off by the pirates.' 'Pirates! Poor girl, I pity her!--and I pity you too, Edward. Come, sit down here, and tell me all that has happened.' Edward knew the admiral's character so well, that he immediately disclosed all that had passed between him and Clara. He then stated how the _Avenger_ had escaped him by deceiving the frigate, and the agreement made with Clara to meet for the future on the beach, with his conviction that the pirate schooner, so exactly similar in appearance to the _Enterprise_, must have preceded him at Porto Rico, and have carried off the object of his attachment. Although Edward might have been severely taken to task, yet the admiral pitied him, and therefore said nothing about his visits to Porto Rico. When breakfast was over he ordered the signal to be made for a sloop of war to prepare to weigh, and the _Enterprise_ to be revictualled by the boats of the squadron. 'Now, Edward, you and the _Comus_ shall sail in company after this rascally pirate, and I trust you will give me a good account of her, and also of the governor's daughter. Cheer up, my boy! depend upon it they will try for ransom before they do her any injury.' That evening the _Enterprise_ and _Comus_ sailed on their expedition, and having run by Porto Rico and delivered a letter to the governor, they steered to the northward, and early the next morning made the land of the Caicos, just as the _Avenger_ had skirted the reefs and bore up for the narrow entrance. 'There she is!' exclaimed Edward; 'there she is, by heavens!' making the signal for the enemy, which was immediately answered by the _Comus_. CHAPTER XVI THE CAICOS