“Then you should have been more careful about what you said.”
“Well, I was. I do believe he’d like to have me down in his cabin to cut up for experiment, and to practise physic on. Ugh! the old wretch!” he continued, with a shudder.
“Hallo! what’s the matter now?” he added, as the man up aloft shouted “Sail ho!” and glasses were rapidly brought to bear upon a point miles away down south, where a few palm trees were dimly-seen through the hot haze.
“What do you make of her, Mr Russell?” said the captain to the young officer, who had gone aloft.
“Barque, sir. Small. Heavily-rigged. She’s going right in. There must be either a bay there, or a large river.”
“No mention of any bay or harbour there,” said the captain. “Looks bad—or good,” he added. “What else can you make out?”
“Nothing, sir. The trees hide her now completely.”
“Slaver, then, without a doubt. Now, gentlemen, she has gone in without seeing us, and it will be our fault if she gets away. We must have no mistake this time.”
“Hurray!” whispered Bob to his companion. “Prize-money at last.”
“Chickens,” said Mark.