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WE went to our hammocks on the gun-deck, Donald and I, feeling — for I daresay there was much the same thought in his mind as in mine — that we had learned a lesson which would be valuable to us in our task of becoming privateersmen.

Not much of a lesson, as I look back on it now, but at the time it seemed of vast importance; yet we, or perhaps here I should speak only of myself, could not profit by it, for ever afterward, when the shot of the enemy whistled among the spars, and I saw members of the crew wounded by ball or splintered by fragments of our own craft, the same fear took possession of me which was in my heart when the Comet ran the blockade out of Baltimore.

However, we turned in, and it was more than one day before we turned out again, owing to the sickness of the sea, which took possession of us.

There is no reason why I should set down here what we suffered, for he who has experienced it fancies he knows better than any other person the deathly sensations of the malady.

In due time, however, we were so far able to control our legs and stomachs as to crawl on deck, and, once there, the second mate, Mr. Harker set about trying to make sailors of us.

It was a case of a hard master and dull pupils, and during the first four and twenty hours of what we might call the apprenticeship, our backs were so sore from frequent application of the rope's-end that for the time being we forgot we had shipped on board the Comet to aid in upholding the honour of our country.

Among the lessons which he gave, and expected we should remember without ever being told again, was the method of measuring the schooner's progress through the water, and I here set it down, in case this poor tale should be seen by some lad as ignorant of such matters as were we two up to the moment when Mr. Harker took us in charge.

This particular information was given to us when, the report having been made, to the captain that the schooner was making ten knots, Donald asked the meaning of the term.

Then it was that Mr. Harker gave us a lecture in something after this fashion:

"We'll suppose you lads have been taught at school that 69 1-6 statute miles or 60 geographical miles are equal to one degree of longitude at the equator.  Now the distance between a statute mile, which is the way they measure distance ashore, and a geographical mile, which is the way of figuring it at sea, is that the last is 806 feet longer than the first.  These 60 sea miles to each degree of latitude, or to every degree of longitude at the equator, are called by sailormen 'minutes,' when they are reckoning the position of a ship, and as to what this last may mean you will possibly learn later. I am not counting on giving you a lesson in navigation just now.

"There are 360 degrees or meridians of longitude, and 21,600 minutes or miles in the entire circumference of the world at the equator; therefore, learned men have shown that one minute -that is, a sea mile-is equal to 6,086.7 feet; but sailormen don't take up these odd feet and the fraction, so they call a sea mile, which is a knot, or a minute, equal to 6,080 feet.  That part being clear in your mind, the rest is easy, because here is the rule which navigators learn: 'As the number of seconds in the hour are to 6,080 feet, so are the number of seconds in the time-glass used for measuring a ship's speed to the number of feet in each unit of measurement marked off on the log-line.' "

Mr. Harker must have seen that we failed to understand this explanation, which he thought was plain, for he added, an instant later:

"Suppose we use a half-minute glass, -that is, one which admits of the sand running through in thirty seconds.  Now, then, your knots must be made in the log-line exactly fifty feet and nine inches from each other, as you can readily tell by doing a little figuring.  You saw a man hold a reel over the stern, while I, with the glass in my hand, shouted for him to let go, and then to stop.  Every knot which went over the rail marked a sea mile, so you may understand that the Comet, while making ten knots, was doing a little more than eleven and one-half land miles."

It was not until we had worked the problem out for ourselves that Donald and I fully understood it; but once in our minds it could never be forgotten.

It was my purpose to set down here only that which concerned the cruise of the Comet while Donald and I were on board, and therefore what we learned from Mr. Harker or the other officers is perhaps out of place.

I will go back to the doings of the schooner by saying that, on the night of the eighth of January, a little more than two weeks after having left port, we made Cape St. Rouque, on the Brazilian coast.

On the following morning Captain Tom spoke a Portuguese trader, which had just left the harbour of Pernambuco, and was told that there were in the harbour three English vessels nearly ready to sail, -two brigs and a large ship, all armed.

We had found our game much sooner than the most hopeful counted on, and it can well be imagined in what a state of excitement was the schooner's crew five minutes after this information had been given us.

"I fail to see why the men should be in such high spirits at what the Portuguese captain told us," Donald said, privately, to me.  " It is not to be supposed Captain Tom, brave man though he be, will venture to attack a ship and two brigs heavily armed."

"Is that your idea of how an American privateersman sets about striking a blow at the King?"   Mr. Harker, who had accidentally overheard Donald's remark, said, quite sharply.  "If there were five ships, and among them a man-of-war, I dare venture to say Captain Tom Boyle would run his nose into the midst of them."

"Then we shall sail directly into the harbour?" I asked, in dismay as well as surprise.

"Hardly that, my lad.  A friendly port cannot be used in such fashion.  We must wait until the fleet is six sea miles off the coast, and then no one may say us nay.  Until that ship and the brigs have got a good offing, we shall likely stand off and on, watching for them as a cat does for a mouse."

"And we run a good chance of playing the part of the mouse", I said to myself; but did not venture to speak aloud, for of a certainty the rope's-end would have been laid on my back again had I dared venture to suggest such a possibility.

It must be understood that every day after we had so successfully run the blockade, the crew were exercised at quarters, and when Donald and I were so far recovered from the malady of the sea as to be able to move around, we bore our part in the drill, -not a very important one, for we were known as powder-monkeys, and our duties were to supply certain of the gunners with ammunition.

Immediately the Portuguese captain gave our commander information regarding the vessels in the harbour, the hours of drill were redoubled; first, because the men needed exercise at their stations, and secondly, if each was in his proper station, as would be the case while exercising, we should be ready to give chase instantly the enemy's vessels appeared.

Therefore it was that I can truly say we were almost constantly at quarters, the schooner standing off and on, under easy sail, and three men detailed to act as lookouts.

It can well be imagined that Captain Tom and the officers kept their glasses in active use, and the harbour of Pernambuco was watched as, perhaps, it had never been before.

As for Donald and myself, I know that we were allowed a six-hour watch below, -no more; and during all the remainder of the twenty-four did we pass to and fro between the magazine and the gunners, even though it seemed to me I could have described the grain of every plank in the deck throughout each inch of the distance we were forced to traverse.

To my surprise, not a single man among all the crew thought it venturesome in Captain Tom to thus make his preparations for attacking the three Britishers, although, even if they were only scantily armed, the united weight of metal must be greater than ours.

Instead of grumbling because we were to make such a hazard, the men appeared impatient at the delay, and on every hand could be heard suggestions as to what would be done with the prize-money, as if the vessels were already captured.

"I believe Captain Tom, in shipping his crew, picked out those who were as fearless as himself," Donald said to me, on this second day of watching for the craft we hoped to make our prizes. " To my mind it is a reckless piece of business."

"So it appears to me, and yet the crew look upon it all as a matter of course ; therefore I am inclined to think we are the only timorous ones on board."

"It will be a fine thing when we portion out our share of the prize-money," my comrade said, thoughtfully, after a long pause.

"And not as fine if one or both of us lays below, grievously wounded, after the attempt has been made, and failed."

"Although we be but boys aboard, our share should amount to more money than we have ever seen," Donald continued, dwelling upon the profit to be made; and in this he showed the Scotch in his nature.

We two talked more than a little concerning all these things, during the five days we laid off and on, waiting for the appearance of the enemy's vessels, but, on the afternoon of the fourteenth, I became convinced we had received false information.

If, as the Portuguese captain had said, three vessels were ready to put to sea, they should have appeared before this, and I said, with no slight relief on my heart:

"Our mountain did not even have a mole-hill as its beginning, for it seems certain the Portuguese captain lied, otherwise we would have seen some signs of the Britishers before this."

"I have noted that Captain Tom is growing impatient, and it may be that what you say is true.  It's a pity we should lose such a prize as would be ours if the ship and two brigs could be captured."

"And it is a relief to know that we stand little show of being sent below mangled, or wounded unto the death.  For my part - "

"Sail ho!" came from one of the lookouts, and the words had hardly been spoken before every officer and seaman was gazing intently in the direction of the harbour, where, after a certain time, could be seen even by us who were on deck, and without the aid of glasses, four vessels taking advantage of the strong wind to put to sea.

All was excitement on board. Some questioned if this could be the craft for which we had waited so patiently, since the Portuguese captain had spoken only three; others said a fourth Britisher might have put into the harbour, unknown to us, but that seemed doubtful, for constant and most vigilant watch had been kept from the morning of the ninth.

There were very many who believed that the Portuguese had given true information as to the merchantmen in the harbour, but withheld from us the fact that they were convoyed by a man-of-war, and this last opinion gained ground, until even Donald and I, who had feared an attack might be made, began to grow uneasy lest we should be forced to run away.

However it might be, Captain Tom had no intention of showing his heels to these Britishers, and I verily believe, had the fleet been twice as large, he would have given the same orders.

Our course was shaped to the southward, and, once we were so far from the land that there could be no question as to the distance, the Comet was hove to until these strangers should show themselves more clearly.

As nearly as I can remember, it was four o'clock in the afternoon, perhaps a little later, when we saw the ship and three brigs, six or eight miles from the shore, sailing a point or two north of east, and the chase was begun.

Never had I seen the waves as boisterous as they were when we hauled up to take advantage of the wind, which appeared to be increasing momentarily.

The little schooner rose gallantly on the crest of the waves, until it seemed that the hull towered many yards above the level of the sea; then, with a downward plunge, she would dive into the hollows, where we were completely encircled by water, with the sails slatting to and fro as the wind was thus shut out from them.

Captain Tom remained near the helmsman, conning the vessels as if engaged in a friendly race, and determined to lose no advantage if it could be prevented by superior seamanship, while Mr. Harker moved to and fro uneasily, evidently finding it impossible to control his anxiety.

No fault could have been found with the manner in which the Comet bore herself during this chase.

The strangers, who alternately sank until only their topmasts only were in view, and then rose on the swell until their copper could be seen, were as if anchored, so swiftly did we gain upon them.

They were under easy sail, and we knew they had no fear of our little schooner, which was approaching so swiftly, otherwise their lighter canvas would have been set at once.

We were storming on, with every stitch drawing, and making such heavy weather of it that, when the gallant little Comet went into the trough of the sea, she plunged her nose so far under that the decks were awash, oftentimes waist-deep.

Every timber was groaning from the strain put upon it, the spars buckled like reeds, and to me, inexperienced as I was, it seemed certain we had so far overhauled the fleet as to be able to determine the character of the fourth vessel.

She was a large man-of-war brig, and we knew by the small amount of canvas set that she was not only willing to meet us, but perhaps eager.

Alarmed myself, because we were come so near to a war-vessel, which with one broadside, properly directed, could send us to the bottom, I looked scrutinisingly around at those nearest, to learn, so far as might be from the expression on their faces, what was thought of this new phase of affairs.

More than one of the men appeared to be uneasy; but yet the majority of them, having every confidence in Captain Tom's skill and ability to extricate them from the most serious difficulties into which they might fall, were calm and apparently unconcerned.

Donald and I, standing side by side, well forward, waited in anxious expectancy to see the course of the schooner changed, or hear the command to reduce the canvas.

No such word was given.

Instead came the order to beat to quarters, and, as soon as might be thereafter, we were cleared for action, each man doing his duty promptly, regardless of the enormous odds against us.

The guns were loaded with round-shot and grape, and this time Donald and I did more than go through the motions of serving ammunition, for we dealt it out to each gun in proper proportion, I, for one, quaking with fear all the while.

There was no such discipline maintained among privateersmen as would be seen on board a man-of-war, and although it was our duty to remain below, both my comrade and I ventured on deck, just as the Comet's ensign was flung to the breeze.

The stranger replied by hoisting a blue and white flag, with certain emblems in red upon it, the character of which I could not make out, and one of the sailors near by exclaimed:

"She's a blooming Portugee, an' how is it a vessel of that navy is convoying Britishers?"

No reply was made to this question, for immediately after the man had spoken the course of the Comet was so changed that she would run alongside the war-vessel, and a few moments later a hail came from the latter's deck.

"The commander desires to send a boat to you!", an officer in the rigging shouted, after reply had been made to his hail.  "There are certain matters of importance regarding which he would speak with the captain of the schooner."

I heard my uncle give the command to heave the Comet to, and at the same time a boat was lowered from the brig's davits.

I had rather the Portuguese captain did the boarding than to have attempted it myself, for the little craft, manned by ten seamen, was flung up and thrown down in the swirl of angry waters, as though she had been no more than an egg-shell, and many times when she descended into the trough of the sea did I believe she had been swamped.

They knew their business, however, those Portuguese sailors, and the gig was brought to the ladder, which had been thrown over the Comet's side, as smartly and neatly as though the crew were manoeuvring on a mill-pond.

Captain Tom received the naval officer at the companionway, and there the two held a short conversation, after which they entered the cabin.

As a matter of course, we forward had no means of knowing what was said; but on shipboard any matter of interest is soon noised about, and, before the two officers concluded their interview below, we learned the Portuguese had, with considerable swagger, made known to Captain Tom that the brig belonged to the Portuguese navy, and that she carried twenty 32-pounders with a crew of 165 men.

As quietly and courteously as if he were on shore paying some pleasing compliment, Captain Tom praised the appearance of the brig, but did not seem at all alarmed by the information as to her armament.

Then the naval captain told him, what we already knew, that the other vessels were English, and under his protection.

At this Captain Tom fired up, giving the visitor a taste of his temper by asking very sharply why the King of Portugal was convoying Britishers, and by what right he pretended to do so when his country was supposed to be a neutral power?

He announced himself as the captain of an American cruiser, with the right to go whithersoever he pleased, and to attack the enemies of his country whenever he found them beyond the jurisdiction of a friendly or a neutral government.

Upon this the visitor asked affably to see Captain Tom's authority from the United States, and our commander, not to be outdone in politeness, invited him below.

Here our information ended for the time, and when the visit had lasted perhaps twenty minutes, the naval officer, followed by Captain Tom, appeared on deck, taking his departure in an apparently friendly fashion.

Shortly afterward, we forward heard from the steward, who waited upon the gentlemen, that the Portuguese had advised our captain not to make any attack upon the merchantmen, and this uncalled-for and impertinent suggestion aroused my uncle once more.

The steward said that Captain Tom told the naval officer very sharply that he should capture the vessels if it was possible for him to do so; that he was authorised by his government to so act, and did not intend to flinch from his duty.

Then, trying politeness once more, the visitor declared he should be exceedingly sorry if it became necessary for him to protect the merchantmen against an attack, and that he should certainly do so if the situation of affairs demanded it.

"I shall feel equally sad if anything disagreeable occurs," Captain Tom replied, " and it is not my intention to make any attack upon your brig until after you have tried to prevent me from carrying out the commands given by my government, or deliberately fired upon me.  Then we will try our strength, and I shall not shrink from the encounter for which I am full well prepared."

The Portuguese captain seemed to be staggered by this bold reply, so the steward said, and, as if he were Captain Tom's particular friend, informed him that the English ship carried fourteen guns, and the two brigs ten each, which armament, together with that on the war-vessel, made up the number of fifty-four guns against fourteen.

Captain Tom never flinched a hair, as the steward expressed it; but told his visitor that, despite the odds, he should make an attack without delay.

Then it was that the naval officer took his departure, and he was not yet on board his own vessel when our schooner was hauled up into the wind.

Before we had well gathered headway, the Portuguese hailed once more, asking Captain Tom to lower a boat and come aboard.

Frightened though I was at the prospect of a battle where it seemed certain we must be whipped, the blood bounded in my veins when Captain Tom, speaking-trumpet in hand, leaped on the rail and shouted, as if this demand from the war-vessel were of but little consequence:

"It is growing too dark, and I cannot afford to take the chances of losing the breeze."

Then, almost in the same breath, he ordered the yards to be squared away, and the Comet was sent sharp for the ship, which at that time was our nearest British neighbour.