“Of course. We agreed to that.”
“Well, suppose it gave them time enough to see us?”
“Doubtful. A vessel like that is not likely to have a man aloft on the lookout.”
“There I don’t agree with you, Dick. It strikes me that they must keep a very sharp lookout on board these schooners, or else we must have overhauled one of them before now.”
“Humph!” said Roberts shortly. “Well, we shall see. According to my ideas it won’t be very long before we shall be sending a shot across that schooner’s bows, and then a boat aboard. Hurrah! Our bad luck is broken at last.”
“Doesn’t look like it,” said Murray, who had dropped all light flippancy and banter, to speak now as the eager young officer deeply interested in everything connected with his profession.
“Oh, get out!” cried Roberts. “What do you mean by your croaking? Look at the way in which our duck has spread her wings and is following in the schooner’s wake. It’s glorious, and the very air seems in our favour, for it isn’t half so hot.”
“I mean,” said Murray quietly, “that the mist is growing more dense.”
“So much in our favour.”
“Yes,” said Murray, “if the schooner’s skipper did not sight us first.”