"But the tide is rising for the Fatimé as well as for the Maud."
"There was nine feet of water on the ledge at low tide, and there will be twelve feet at high tide."
"That will not be till nine o'clock this evening. But even if it were now I should not dare to undertake the task of piloting the Maud over the ledge; for I know nothing about the soundings on it except on the south edge. That would not do. We must get to deep water by the way we came in here," said the captain very decidedly.
"A shot from the pirate!" shouted Felix at this moment, as he noted the flash.
A moment later the report came to the ears of all on board, and the gun-made noise enough to startle a timid person. All watched for the ball, and saw it strike the water about half way between the two vessels.
"Bully for you, Mazagan!" exclaimed Felix. "You fired at the water, and you hit it."
"He is only trying his gun, and he will do better than that after he gets his hand in," said the captain. "The piece was depressed too much to prove what it would do if properly aimed."
"They are getting up the anchor!" shouted Felix a couple of minutes later, after he had brought his spy-glass to bear upon the pirate.
"She is evidently going to do something," said the captain, who had taken his usual place at the wheel, while Louis was on the other side of it, where both had remained after the steamer stopped.
"What do you suppose Mazagan intends to do now?" asked Louis.