"I would give a good deal to know," said Ronie.
"Captain Hawkins is tacking ship," declared Jack, a moment later.
"What does that mean?"
"I cannot tell, unless, by the great horn of rock—Gibraltar, if you please! he means to keep his word, and run us ashore at the first point of land to be reached."
"That will take us away from Harrie," said Ronie.
"Too true, lad; too true!"
"Jack, what do you make of Captain Hawkins and his men?"
"They are greater mysteries to me than the officers and crew of the Libertador. I set them down at once as pirates, but these fellows stump me out of my boots. All we can do is to watch and wait. They have done us one good turn, anyway."
Standing by the rail of this strange sloop, Jack and Ronie watched in silence the scenes that followed. Dark clouds had again risen on the sky, obscuring the stars in the west, while throwing a gloom over the sea far and wide. Captain Hawkins paid no further attention to them, but appeared oblivious of their presence.
"Are all of the ships that ply in these waters like those we have found?" asked Ronie, in a low tone.