"We're going back straight towards the American?" he said.
The sailor seemed to chuckle. "We're going where she was, but she'll be somewhere else just now," he said. "When they've brought her round they'll steam after us the way they saw us going before the wind, and we're pinched right up within 'bout three and a half points of it. It would take a very smart man to get in ahead of Ned Jordan."
Niven laughed excitedly, for, remembering Lawson's lesson on board the Aldebaran and what he had been taught since, the manoeuvre was now plain to him. If the gunboat steamed away before the wind it was evident that as they were heading at a very small angle to it the vessels would be sailing in almost opposite directions, and there only remained the unpleasant uncertainty whether the pursuer would find them with her light again. Still, the Champlain was driving to windward very fast and the haze was thick.
"What did he switch his light off for?" asked Appleby.
"Well," said the sealer, "I don't figure he did. Seems more likely that something went wrong with it."
Others were doubtless wondering over the same point, for the men were still looking astern, and at last a faint silvery beam moved athwart the fog and then swept back again. Appleby fancied Jordan laughed as he came down from the house and stood by the wheel.
"That fellow's easily fooled. He's going right away to leeward as fast as they can shove her along, and the only thing that's worrying me is the mainmast head," he said. "'Pears to me we wrung it a little in the race with the Belle."
Almost as he spoke the Champlain put her bows in, and the deck was flooded ankle-deep with icy brine, while the lads could understand the skipper's misgivings as they glanced up at the big topsail and long gaff that stretched out the great mainsail's head. It was not difficult to see that the strain they put upon the mast must be considerable.
Stickine nodded from the wheel. "We've got to carry on and take our chances now," he said.
"Oh, yes," said Jordan. "Anyway, for another hour or so."