“Coming round the south headland,” replied Poole.
“That’s right,” said the skipper. “I can see her now.”
“Well?” said Burgess.
“I shan’t move yet. It will be pitch-dark in less than an hour. We can see her plainly enough with the open sea beyond her, but like as not they can’t see us, lying close up here under the land. The chances are that they won’t see us at all, and then we can run out in the darkness; and I suppose you will have no difficulty in avoiding the rocks?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” said the mate coolly. “Like as not I may run spang on to them in the dark. I shan’t, of course, if I can help it.”
“No,” said the skipper dryly; “I suppose not.”
Their task ended, the boys slid down to the deck once more, and somehow the thought of his anomalous position on board the schooner did not trouble the middy for the time being, for he was seaman enough to be intensely interested in their position, and as eager as Poole for their escape.
“Do you think the sun’s going down as quickly as usual?” he said suddenly; and his companion laughed.
“What’s that for?” said Fitz. “Did I say something comic?”
“Comic or stupid, whichever you like.”