Part 27 (2/2)

”Shure, it's many they are to us. If we're not afther watchin' them closely, they'll try an' take the s.h.i.+p!”

Young Glory laughed.

”Fists against rifles don't count for much. We're armed and they're not.

Don't forget that.”

”I don't, but it's yourself knows they're as full of treachery as a sausage is of meat.”

”I have no fear of them, and I'm quite sure, Mr. Tyler feels the same.

Of course he's taking every precaution, but unless those four hundred men below can get out of their quarters, what harm can the officers and the few men who are at large do?”

Dan scratched his head.

”It's a warnin' I've given ye! Don't be afther blamin' me if it happens!”

”That's like Dan,” said Young Glory, looking after him. ”Prove to him he's wrong, and he won't admit it. He only gets sulky. Well, this time he's clearly out of it, and I'll make him say so when we reach Key West.”

It was drawing towards evening now. Young Glory, having nothing better to do, stood and looked over the rail at the setting sun, until it had sunk below the horizon, and all was dark.

Then he threw himself down near a boat which was on the deck, and the lapping noise of the waves, coupled with the want of rest he was suffering from, sent him to sleep.

He had not the faintest idea how long he had been dozing, when he suddenly woke with a start, as men will when aroused from a deep sleep.

But he never uttered a cry, and at once he fell back intending to go to sleep again. It was against the rules to do so, but in his tired state he never thought of this.

In a minute he would have been asleep but for the fact that he heard some men talking, and out of mere curiosity he listened to what was being said.

”Some of the Spanish officers,” he muttered. He knew this, for the language they were using was Spanish.

The young sailor was able to hear every word, and before the talk had proceeded far, he was taking in every word, feeling as wide awake as ever he had been in his life.

”Juan,” said one man, ”I've interested you already by what I've said.”

”I confess it, Manuel.”

”And you would like to hear more?”

”Of course.”

”I can't understand, Juan, how it is you are ignorant of what is going on. They know you're to be trusted.”

”I should hope so,” was the indignant answer. ”Perhaps it is because I have kept myself away from the others. I have felt heart broken over our defeat.”

”All the more reason why you should do what you can to repair it.”

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