The Canvey now increased speed. There was no need for disguise. Bravely her battle-ensigns streamed in the breeze, while her guns were again manned and trained as far ahead as possible, ready, if need be, to hurl their deadly and destructive missiles upon the already doomed pirate submarine.
It was now a foregone conclusion that the Alerte was doubling back to her former anchorage in Bahia Arenas. She could not submerge outside without going to the bottom, and since the depth without the bar is everywhere not less than sixty fathoms, such a manoeuvre would result in the submarine being crushed like an eggshell under the terrific pressure of water. It was extremely doubtful whether she would fight. Her solitary six-inch gun would be hopelessly outmatched against the superior ordnance of her pursuer. Short of taking to the boats and scuttling the Alerte, the pirates had no alternative but to endeavour to reach the sandy bay and evade detection by submerging.
Raxworthy was playing his own game. Apart from destroying the Alerte by gunfire or torpedo, he could have headed her off-shore by reason of the Canvey's superior speed and carried her in the good old-fashioned way by boarding. Such a measure, involving a certain risk of casualties amongst the Canvey's ship's company, would have appealed to most of the men; but the lieutenant-commander had other plans. He meant to compel the Alerte to surrender if it were possible. In any case, he wanted to take as many of the pirates as possible prisoners. To slay ruthlessly was against his principles. Prisoners, even if they were pirates captured red-handed, were entitled to a fair trial, and in that event the onus of dealing with them was removed from Raxworthy's shoulders.
At seven bells (3.30 p.m.) the Canvey gained sufficiently to enable one of her guns to fire a few yards wide of the chase. Simultaneously, she hoisted a signal summoning the Alerte to surrender.
By the aid of glasses it was easy for the Canvey's officers to see most of what was going on on the deck of the pirate submarine. Pengelly and the gunner could be discerned crouching on the bridge. On the poop were several of the crew clamouring and arguing. Some of them were evidently advocating taking to the boats. Most of them had brought their personal belongings on deck, so that it looked as if they had no intention of offering resistance.
At length the Alerte starboarded helm in order to take the deep and narrow passage over the bar. As she did so, Broadmayne noticed a tall burly figure ascend the bridge, grasp the cowering Pengelly and literally boot him down the ladder.
"Now, we'll have a run for our money, sir," remarked Broadmayne, to the lieutenant-commander. "Cain's got his spoke in again!"