“Sail ho! broad on the weather-bow!” I exclaimed joyously; and in a moment half a dozen voices exultingly reiterated the cry of “Sail ho!”
Yes, there could be no mistake about it; for whilst the words were still upon our lips the apparition grew more substantial, assumed the misty outline of a ship in full sail, and finally shot out from among the fog-wreaths clear and well-defined—a brig running before the wind under studding-sails.
I hastened aft to where Smellie stood grasping the maintopmast backstay, and was greeted by him with the characteristic remark of:
“What a fellow he must be, and what nerve he must have! Fancy a man running out of that river and through the fog under studding-sails.” Then, turning to the helmsman, he said:
“Now we have him fairly, I think. Up with your helm, my man, and steer for his jib-boom end. Mr Costigan,”—to the first lieutenant—“make sail, if you please.”
“Oi, oi, sorr,” answered that worthy in a rich Hibernian brogue. “Let go and overhaul the fore and main clewgarnets; board the fore and main tacks and aft wid the sheets. Fore and main topmast-staysail and jib halliards, hoist away. Sheet home and set the fore and main-topgallant-sails, and be smart about it. Aisy now, there, wid that main tack; don’t ye see, you spalpeens, that the ship is bearin’ up. Man the braces, fore and aft; ease up to leeward and round in to windward as the ship pays off. Well of all, belay, and coil up. Misther Hawkesley, am I to have the pleasure of showin’ ye the way on board the hooker yonder?”
“Thanks, no, I think not, Costigan,” I answered with a laugh. “I propose to lend my valuable aid to the alter division of the boarders; you are a host in yourself, you know, and can manage very well without me. But I shall keep a look-out for you in the waist of the brig.”
“Very well, it’s there I’ll mate ye, young gintleman, or my name’s not Denis Costigan.”
And away hurried the impetuous Irishman to place himself at the head of the forward division of boarders.
The brig had sighted us almost as quickly as we had her, and she made one or two attempts to dodge us. But it was of no use, she had run into our arms, as it were; we were much too close together when the vessels became visible to each other to render anything like dodging at all possible; moreover Smellie, standing there on the breach of one of the guns, watched the chase with so unwavering an eye and met any deviation on her part so promptly with a corresponding swerve on the part of the Virginia, that Señor Madera soon scornfully gave up the attempt, and held steadily forward upon his course.