As the day broke, the breeze sprang up, the sails were hoisted, and the captain prepared to slip his cables. A similar preparation could, through the glasses, be observed on board the Malay fleet.
"That will do very well," the captain said. "Those fellows will be along in about eight or ten minutes after we have started; and the fuse, according to the experiments we made as to its rate of burning, will last about seven.
"Now, quick, lads, into the boat.
"Tom, you take charge of the sinking."
In another minute the boat was rowed to the channel, and the cask lowered over the side. It was held there, for a minute, while the mate struck a light and applied it to the touch paper. Then he pressed the bung firmly into the top of the tube, the lashings of the cask were cut, and the boat rowed back to the ship. The anchors were already on board, and the brig was getting way on her as the boat rowed alongside. The men jumped on board, and the boat was suffered to tow behind, while all hands set the whole of the sails. The vessel was soon running briskly before the land breeze.
The pirate fleet was instantly in motion. Every eye in the ship was directed towards them.
"They will be there in less than ten minutes from the moment I lowered the cask," the mate said, looking at his watch.
"Not much," the captain said, "they are rowing fast, now; but the trees keep off the wind, and their sails do not help them. They were a minute or two behind us in starting."
It was just eight minutes, from the time when the cask had been lowered, that the first of the Malay boats rowed out through the channel.
"I hope nothing has gone wrong," the mate growled.