“A sail! A sail!”
The pirates sprang to their feet. Those who had been sprawled upon the deck asleep awoke.
Barbados forgot the señorita for a moment and turned to look.
Behind, and bearing down upon them swiftly, came another ship. Señor Zorro knew, as did the pirates, that she had put out from the land before the dawn and far to the south of where the pirate ship had been at anchor.
Hope beat suddenly in Zorro’s breast. She was a trading schooner, he could tell even at that distance. If only she carried Audre Ruiz and his friends! It was a question what would happen. If she was some honest vessel, perhaps she would fall victim to the pirate craft. She might not be prepared to fight.
Barbados issued a volley of commands. The pirate craft turned for a run farther out to sea, so that she could tack back and catch the oncoming ship between her and the shore.
Lookouts were posted to watch carefully. Sanchez ran here and there, echoing the orders of his chief.
From his hiding place Señor Zorro watched now the approaching vessel, and now the deck where Señorita Lolita was standing against the mast, forgotten for the moment.
Were he quite sure that ship carried his friends Señor Zorro could go into action. For he flattered himself that he would be able to hold his own until the other ship came up.
It appeared that the other vessel had no intention of running up the coast. She changed her course also, and bore after the pirate craft.