“Say it.”
“I don’t believe her name is a misnomer. It strikes me she is a genuine old pirate. If not, why is she running around in this way and taking such chances of being piled high and dry on these islands? She came into this cove to hide.”
“The days of pirates are past,” said Jack.
“Don’t care,” growled Bruce. “Capt. Horn is a pirate chief, or he’s the ghost of one, and his old schooner is a phantom, like the Flying Dutchman.”
“She’s a pretty solid phantom,” said Frank. “We struck against her and scraped her side.”
“If that is the Pirate.”
“Hark!”
The boys listened, and the wind brought to their ears sounds that interested them.
“They are lowering a boat out there,” said Frank. “Surely they are at some unlawful business, or they would not work in the dark and fail to display a single light.”
A few moments later the boys heard the sound of oars clanking in rowlocks.