“From the two boat-keepers; and one of these schooners our lads report as being commanded by that scoundrel who tricked us with his lugger. He was the real owner of the schooner that escaped.”
“Ah! Go on,” said Mr Anderson faintly. “Tell Murray, and let me lie and listen.”
“Well, then,” continued the officer, “these two schooners attacked the skipper just when he was shorthanded, and before I could get back to my cutter they had been there, driven the two boat-keepers ashore, and scuttled her. Of course my two men could do nothing but make for me. So there I was ashore, listening to the firing, while the skipper had to keep on a running fight, and that’s been going on ever since, for they’ve been a bit too many for the Seafowl, it seems to me.”
“How unfortunate!” said Murray.
“Horribly, sir,” said the second lieutenant. “Here have I been hunting you ever since, though I’ve had a few skirmishes with the scoundrels, who have seemed to swarm.”
“Yes,” said Murray, nodding his head. “White, black and mongrel scum of the earth.”
“Exactly, my lad. Well, to make a long story short, the place is such a maze that I’m sure I should never have found you if we hadn’t seen the flash of this explosion. Of course we heard the roar far enough away, but that would not have guided us without we had seen the direction.”
“No, sir, I suppose not. Well, sir, what’s to be done now?” said Murray.
“Let’s hear what Mr Anderson says.”
“Hush! He has fallen asleep,” whispered Murray. “Poor fellow! He is very weak.”