But there was one thing Alec had not reckoned on. That was the powerful night-glass in the hands of Thomas Hardy. Again and again the wary skipper swept the horizon with his glass. Once he had caught the faint gleam of the Osprey's sail; but the darkness instantly blotted it out again, and he had thought nothing of it. Now it was unmistakably lighter. As the hawk-eyed pirate manœuvred his ship back and forth, he kept a watchful gaze shoreward, again and again sweeping the waters with his glass. And in one of these searches, he discovered the Osprey. With a startled oath he centred his gaze on the little craft. Then he ordered the dredges reeled in. The instant they were aboard, he swung the ship, and bore down on the Osprey.
All this happened so suddenly that Alec was caught unaware. Had he known what was coming, so that he could get his sail up, he might have run into the wind and outdistanced the Shark, for the Osprey was a wonderful sailor to windward. But the Shark was half-way toward him before Alec really knew what was happening. Then it was too late. There was nothing to do but await capture and make the best of it.
There was still time to say good-bye to Elsa, however. Alec darted into the cabin, threw over his switch, and flashed out a call.
"3ARM de 3ADH," he signalled, trying to quiet his pounding heart and steady his trembling hand.
"3ADH de 3ARM—K," came back the instant response.
"They have discovered me," flashed Alec. "Shark is bearing down on the Osprey. I hear them hailing. Tell your father to hurry. Good-bye—guardian."
White-faced, aquiver with fear, Elsa flashed back a reply and waited. But no answer came ringing in her ears. For out in the lawless darkness of the Bay, the Shark had swung to, a dark figure had leaped to the deck of the Osprey, a light had flashed in his cabin, revealing Alec's identity, and he had been dragged roughly to the deck of his little ship. With furious curses he had been flung aboard the Shark.
"Kill him! Throw him overboard! Hang the spy!" cried the angry crew, and the lawless Hawkins had dealt him a furious blow with his fist, felling Alec to the deck.
He knew that he must act at once if he was to save his life. Trembling with fear, he sprang to his feet. The shell gatherer, Wallace, leaped toward him.
"If you lay a hand on me," cried Alec, trying his best to appear courageous, "you'll go to prison for it."