Gerald and Nat were soon after this joined by several other officers who had come down to bathe. Mr Foley, being among the last, had brought his telescope. The north-east trade-wind, which began blowing during the night, was now carrying the stranger steadily along before it. Mr Foley had lent Gerald his glass.
“Why, sir,” he exclaimed, as he was looking through it—“‘It never rains but it pours’—there is another craft of the same rig as the first, under all sail. It appears to me that she is chasing the headmost one.”
Crowhurst took the glass, and having glanced through it, agreed that Gerald was right. He then handed it to the master, who observed, “There is no doubt about it. The headmost vessel is a merchantman; by the cut of her canvas, I should say she was English. But the sternmost I can’t quite make out; she is probably a French or Spanish privateer. However, as they are coming on at a good rate, we shall know before long. In the mean time I intend to take my dip.”
Gerald and Nat continued watching the strangers as they approached. They had got considerably nearer by the time the master came out of the water.
“They must have encountered dark and heavy weather, and got out of their course, or they would not have been so close in to this dangerous coast,” he observed. “Lend me the glass again, Foley,” he added, turning to the second lieutenant. “Well, I can’t make out what she is,” he continued. “Her sails have an English cut about them, too. We shall make out her colours before long, for if she is English she is sure to hoist them when she sees ours flying from the flagstaff.”
Mr Foley and the rest of the party were as much puzzled as the master. No one felt inclined to leave the spot, even though breakfast-time was approaching.
Gerald felt unusually interested; why, he could scarcely tell, except that he had been the first to discover the strangers. Now he threw himself down on the sand; then he got up and walked about, and again borrowed Mr Foley’s telescope.
The course the two vessels were steering would carry them within half a mile of the outer reefs that surrounded the island. The hull of the first could already be distinctly seen. She appeared to be either an armed merchantman or a privateer; but if the latter, it was not likely that she would run from a vessel not much, if at all, superior to her in size.
Nearer and nearer drew the leading vessel. Those on board must have been aware of the dangerous character of the coast. As it was, she was standing closer than, under ordinary circumstances, prudence would have allowed.
“Yes, she is English,” exclaimed Gerald, who had been taking a long look at her through the glass. “I can see the people on her deck. They are looking, it seems to me, for some opening in the reefs, but they can find none on this side, and must see the surf breaking over the outer rocks. But what can the other craft be? If the first is English, I am sure she must be so, by the look of her hull and the cut of her sails, though I can’t make out her flag.” His hand began to tremble as he held the glass to his eye—a very unusual thing for him. “Mr Foley, sir,” he exclaimed at length, “will you take a look at yonder vessel, and say if you have ever seen her before? It seems to me that I ought to know her.”