"Will you step into the deck-house, sir," said Captain Acton, "and learn our strange story, which shall not detain you long." Mr Fellowes bowed with a smile which charmed Lucy by its good-nature, and by the light it kindled in the man's face, where she witnessed that sort of breeding which her heart, as the hearts of most women who are ladies at heart, delight in. The party of four entered the structure, and the cabin servant was ordered to put refreshments on the table. "This is the yarn, Fellowes," said the Admiral, who, it had been pre-arranged, was to tell the story. "My friend Acton is the owner of this schooner; he is also the owner of another ship, called the _Minorca_. Now, this ship, of which my friend was good enough to give the command to my son----" "A fine fellow," interrupted Mr Fellowes. "How is he?" "Pretty well--pretty middling, I thank ye," answered the Admiral. "But just now in a bit of a fix. It has come to our knowledge that there has been a mutiny on board the _Minorca_, and that the crew are navigating the vessel to Rio de Janeiro----" "The _Phoebe_ is bound to that port," again interrupted Mr Fellowes. "Good!" cried the Admiral, with an expressive look at Captain Acton--"instead," continued Sir William, "of Kingston, Jamaica, to which place her cargo is consigned. We are following her in this clipper, which outsails her by two to one, and we have reason to know that she is now about two days in advance of us. The _Minorca_ is armed: we are not. And your captain will be conferring a very great favour upon us if, seeing that the _Phoebe_ is almost as swift as this schooner, he will allow us to keep him company, so that if we jointly fall in with the _Minorca_, her crew may be overawed by the guns of the frigate." "Lord Garlies, I am sure, will be happy to oblige you, Sir William, and your friend, in any way he can," said the lieutenant. "Pray, how did you happen to hear of the seizure of the ship and her shift of course to Rio?" "The news was communicated to us," said the Admiral, "in a letter which had been written before the ship sailed by a conspicuous member of the crew. A copy of this letter fell into Captain Acton's hands on the very day the _Minorca_ left Old Harbour Town, and my friend immediately arranged to pursue his ship in this smart schooner when she could be got ready." The Admiral spoke with a steady face and with a steady voice. He was giving a version of the story which to all intents and purposes was true, and there was nothing in the relation, as previously devised, to alarm his conscience as a gentleman and a man of honour by inaccuracy. "I see," exclaimed Mr Fellowes. "But are you sure of the situation of the chase?"