All was bustle for a minute. I kept my eye on the object, but I could not make out more, than that it was a strange sail; I could neither judge of her size nor her rig, from the distance, and the extreme darkness of the night. At length I handed the glass to Tailtackle again. We were at this time standing in towards the Cuba shore, with a fine breeze, and going along seven knots, as near as could be.
“Give the glass to Mr Jigmaree, Mr Tailtackle, and come forward here, and see all snug.”
The long gun was slewed round—both carronades were run out, all three being loaded, double shotted, and carefully primed—the whole crew, with our black supernumeraries, being at quarters.
“I see her quite distinct now, sir,” sung out Timotheus.
“Well, what looks she like?”
“A large brig, sir, by the wind on the same tack—you can see her now without the glass—there—with the naked eye.”
I looked, and certainly fancied I saw some towering object rising high and dark to windward, like some mighty spectre walking the deep, but I could discern nothing more.
“She is a large vessel, sure enough, sir,” said Timothy once more “now she is hauling up her courses, sir—she takes in topgallant sails why, she is bearing up across our bows, sir—mind she don’t rake us.”
“The deuce!” said I. I now saw the chase very distinctly bear up. “Put the helm up—keep her away a bit—steady at that will do—fire a shot across her bows, Mr Tailtackle—and, Mr Reefpoint, show the private signal.” The gun was fired, and the lights shown, but our spectral friend was all darkness and silence. “Mr Scarfemwell,” said I to the carpenter, “stand by the long gun. Tailtackle, I don’t like that chap open the magazine.” By this time the strange sail was on our quarter, we shortened sail, while he, finding that his manoeuvre of crossing our bows had been foiled by our bearing up also, got the foretack on board again, and set his topgallant sails, all very cleverly. He was not far out of pistol-shot. Tailtackle, in his shirt and trowsers, and felt shoes, now stuck his head up the main hatchway.
“I would recommend your getting the hatches on, sir—that fellow is not honest, sir, take my word for it.”