The great waves pursued the fugitive boat into the cove, like wolves in chase of a wounded deer.
All at once a black hulk loomed before them.
“A vessel!” cried Harry.
“Look out!” warned Jack.
With all his strength, Frank pulled over the tiller. The boat obeyed slowly and with reluctance. She could not clear the black hulk entirely.
“Confound them!” muttered Frank. “Why don’t they have a light out? There’s a law for this, and——”
Bump!—the Jolly Sport struck. Scrape!—she slid along the side of the vessel.
It was a marvel she did not go down then and there, but they continued to scrape and slide along the side of the vessel, which was heaving at anchor.
The shock was felt on board the vessel. As the boys looked up there was a faint gleam of light, and a man looked down at them from the rail. He snarled out something at them, but the shrieking wind drowned his words, and they did not understand what he said.
The boat cleared the vessel and went wallowing across the dark waters of the cove.