Presently the man came aft, and reported that the captain was waving his hat from the taffrail.
"We had better get up the main-topgallant sail, Brown, and run up to her," Bob said.
The sail was soon hoisted and, in a quarter of an hour, they were alongside the brig.
"That craft sails like a witch," Captain Lockett said, as they came abreast of him.
"Yes, sir, she seems very fast."
"It is a pity she is rigged as she is," the captain said. "It is an outlandish fashion. If she were barque rigged, I should be tempted to shift on board her.
"We will leave the barque alone, at present, Mr. Repton. Our curiosity must keep a bit. I don't want to lose any of this breeze. We will keep right on, as long as it lasts. If it drops, we will overhaul her."
The barque was the slowest craft of the three, and Joe Lockett had every stitch of canvas set, to enable him to keep up with the others. At noon, a large craft was seen, coming off from the land. Bob examined her with the telescope, and then handed the glass to Brown.
"She is a frigate," the sailor said. "It's the same that blazed away at us, yesterday. It's the Brilliant, I think."
"You are sure she is the same that chased us, yesterday?"