“Ay, ay, sir, and then I’m thinking I’d better be circulating among my gun crews. They look to be getting nervous.”
He spoke no more than the truth. Gazing down from the stumpy bridge, it was easy to see that the men of the Barrill’s crew were ill at ease. Their native officers, one of whom had drilled a hole through the bottom of the Calvo’s whale boat, were doing their best to keep them quiet, but the nearness of a naval engagement was evidently worrying them.
A few moments after Stanley reached the deck, however, a wonderful difference set in. The men dispersed to their posts, chatting and laughing as if they were about to take part in some pleasurable athletic contest.
By this time the signal to follow had been seen and lowered, and the Calvo obediently began to follow the Barrill seaward.
“Hooray. We’ll get her without firing a shot!” exclaimed Ned exultingly.
Indeed, it appeared as if such might be the case. The other ship was practically without officers, and, no doubt, those on board could be easily demoralized. Thus the two vessels proceeded for some miles. The Barrill had, in the meantime, taken in her deceptive ensign, and was now proceeding without colors. Possibly it was this fact that aroused the suspicions of the Calvo. Perhaps they noted the vanishment of the whale boat. At any rate, they set a fresh signal.
“Show your colors!”
“All right, we’ll do that,” snapped the middy. “I would advise, sir, that we set the flag of the republic.”
“Just what I was about to order, my boy. We’ll fight under our own colors or not at all.”