It is no laughing matter for a big ship to have this happen to her when approaching a harbor or nearing shallow water. At once the boatswain's whistle began piping away; orders were shouted, and there was trouble below and aloft. [Illustration: "She came about like a peg-top."] But what happened to the clumsily handled craft astern? She was immediately under the port galleries, within half a cable's length, doddering along under foresail and mainsail. At the first sign of what had occurred to the battle-ship there ensued a transformation scene. Have you ever seen an unwilling dog accompanying its master on a walk? how he sneaks close at the heels, watching his chance when the attention is not directed to him? How suddenly he turns tail, and after a few cautious movements that bring him beyond the reach of stick or arm, he breaks into a run at full speed, disdaining call or whistle, and puts back for home? That is exactly what the _Rattler_ did. Scarcely had the canvas of the _Ajax_ begun the ominous fluttering that showed the change of the wind's direction, than the privateer swung off to meet it. Slowly at first and then with a rush she came about like a peg top. Without an order being given, out broke the great foresail, the topsails dropped from the gaskets and were sheeted home, and with a lurch to leeward the _Rattler_ stretched out back over her course for the harbor entrance, setting her flying kites as she bowled along! So busy was everybody on board the three-decker, who had troubles of her own to look after, that no one noticed the sudden manoeuvre of the privateer; no one except one of the ladies who happened to be the wife of the Admiral, for the _Ajax_ was a flagship. She, after a minute, succeeded in attracting the attention of one of the lieutenants, who with the rest had gone forward to the break of the poop and was watching what was going on below and above him. "The little ship," she inquired innocently, "where is she going?" The officer turned and immediately had to beg the lady's pardon most abjectly, for he broke forth into an oath. "Tricked, after all!" he exclaimed, grasping one of his companions by the arm and pointing. But there was one other person who had noticed all these goings on. It was the prisoner on the lower spar-deck. "You can soak me for a squilgee if that weren't neat," he chuckled, and then lifting his hands to his cheeks, he roared out something through the port. The _Rattler's_ Captain, who was at the wheel, had jumped as if the _Ajax_ had suddenly whirled about and let fly a broadside at him, for he heard the words as plain as could be. "Good-by, Captain Symington! Give my regards to all at home!" He recognized his old friend Edgar's voice, and it gave him a thrill of pleasure to know that he was alive even if he was a prisoner.