Day was by this time beginning to break. The sky overhead was lighting up, the stars paling out and fading away, while surrounding objects began to loom ghost-like and indistinct in the first grey of the early dawn. The brigantine was just visible about half a mile ahead and inshore of us, apparently hove-to. As we drew up abreast of her she filled her topsail and stood on in company, the ship by this time under every stitch of canvas, up to topgallantsails, while the brigantine drew ahead of us under mainsail, topsail, and jib, and was obliged to shiver her topsail every now and then in order to avoid running away from us.
In twenty minutes more we rounded the point, and there lay the “Astarte,” a couple of miles off, rolling heavily upon the ground-swell. On reaching her, both our prizes were hove-to as close to the frigate and to each other as was consistent with safety, and Mr Flinn and I jumped into the gig and went on board to report.
“Well, Mr Flinn,” said the skipper, meeting us at the gangway, “glad to see you back safe and sound; you too, Mr Chester,” shaking hands with us both. “But how is this? Are you hurt, Ralph?” as on my facing to the eastward the light fell upon my face, and he saw blood upon it.
“A broken skull, sir;” I replied, “nothing very serious though, I believe.”
“And what’s the news?” continued the skipper. “I see you have brought both vessels out with you. What are they?”
“To tell you the truth, sir,” answered Flinn, “we have had no time yet to find out what they are. They are both Spaniards, however, and, if I am not greatly mistaken, we shall find that the brigantine is little better than a pirate.”
“Um!” said the skipper, “likely enough; she has all the look of it. And now, what about casualties? have you suffered much?”
“Rather severely, sir, I am sorry to say. Five killed, and eighteen—or rather, nineteen with Mr Chester—wounded; eight of them severely. I am afraid we shall lose little Fisher, sir.”
“Lose little Fisher!” exclaimed the skipper. “Why, whoever was thoughtless enough to let that poor child go upon so dangerous an expedition?”
Flinn looked at me, and I at him; but neither of us could plead guilty, so the matter dropped for the time.