But Captain Maitland was too eager about the sailing of his ship, and paid no heed to the midshipmen’s idleness, only thinking as he was of getting round the land in front, and overhauling the stranger, who was now quite out of sight beyond the point, and it took two hours to get within sight again. But they found that, instead of there being a river, the coast turned sharply to the east, and the barque, in place of being close to them, was sailing steadily away east and south, and farther from them than ever.
“Bah! another false alarm,” cried Mr Staples; “are we never to capture one of the scoundrels?”
Just then Mark touched his elbow, and pointed to a vessel which had been unnoticed before, lying as it did close under the shore, with bare poles raked well back, and the whole of the long, low, schooner-rigged vessel wearing a look of having been built for swift-sailing more than for any ordinary trading purpose.
“Well done, sharp eyes!” cried the lieutenant; “that’s one of the scoundrels;” and the course of the Nautilus was changed directly with a peculiar result.
The minute before not a soul was to be seen on board the schooner, which might have been absolutely deserted; but, as soon as the course of the Nautilus was changed and those on board saw that, in spite of lying close up under the trees of the muddy shore of what appeared to be a creek, they had been observed, sails were rapidly hoisted, and the slight, graceful vessel began to glide so swiftly through the water that it was evidently no slow ship that would catch her should she once get into the offing.
She was about a mile away and promised to escape, but Captain Maitland did not mean to be out-manoeuvred this time. The crew were beat to quarters, a gun fired, and the colours run up as the course of the Nautilus was again altered so as to cut the schooner off, and in due time a second gun gave out its puff of smoke.
But no heed was taken, and the schooner kept along close in shore till her captain saw that escape was impossible in the direction he was taking, and altering his helm, the swift vessel glided round and made off in the opposite direction.
But the Nautilus was again too quick for her, and in a few minutes was once more hard in chase and sending shot after shot, till one better directed than the rest went through her maintopmast.
The crew of the Nautilus sent up a tremendous cheer as the great spar came down with its gaff sail, leaving the schooner for the time like a bird with a broken wing.
“We shall have her now for certain,” said Bob Howlett.