"He is. Sure I'd know him from a thousand by me own frescos on his purty face."
"Have you a man named Richard Peveril aboard your craft?" demanded Captain Spillins.
"None of your d——d business."
"Run him down!" ordered Major Arkell, sternly, and the words had hardly left his mouth before the two vessels came together with a crash.
CHAPTER XXV
A SEA-FIGHT ON LAKE SUPERIOR
As no other schooner was in sight, and as this one was standing off the coast when discovered, the Broncho people had from the very first believed her to be the one they wanted. Her hoisting of British colors strengthened this belief, and it was finally confirmed by Connell's recognition of her captain. Until that moment, however, they had entertained serious doubts as to whether they should find Peveril on board; for it did not seem credible that even a smuggler, accustomed to running great risks, would dare abduct and forcibly carry off an American citizen. They did not know of the tempting reward promised to the schooner's captain for doing that very thing, nor of his determination to make this his last voyage on the great lake. So they anxiously awaited his answer to the question:
"Have you a man named Richard Peveril aboard your craft?"