“As you ask me, I venture to say that we had better wait till dark. If the pirates catch sight of us before we are alongside, they may knock one of our boats to pieces, or, for that matter, sink all of them,” answered the master.
The boatswain, when asked, agreed with the master. Mr Tarwig therefore decided to wait, under shelter of a high reef of black rocks, which would effectually conceal the boats from the pirate.
Gerald felt greatly disappointed. He had hoped to pull on board at once, and settle the doubts which had been agitating his mind all the morning. On looking out to the northward, he observed the hitherto glass-like sea rippled over in various directions.
“Do you observe those cat’s-paws, sir?” he asked, pointing them out to Mr Tarwig. “If the strangers feel the breeze before we get on board, we shall lose the pirate, and too likely the other vessel will fall into her hands.”
“I believe you are right, Tracy. We must give up the idea of surprising the pirate.—We must pull for her at once, master. You board on the starboard bow, Mr Dobbs on the larboard, and I will get on board over the starboard quarter. You will clear a road for yourself along the starboard gangway, master. I will meet you there.”
Scarcely had these arrangements been made, the boats still remaining concealed behind the rocks, when the pirate’s canvas blew out to the increasing breeze, and she began to glide rapidly away over the smooth water.
“I was afraid so,” exclaimed Mr Tarwig. “I am the most unlucky fellow in existence. We shall lose her, after all.”
As he spoke the pirate was seen to be running rapidly through the water, the chase at the same time getting the breeze, and, as before, keeping ahead and doing her utmost to escape. On seeing this, Mr Tarwig gave the order to the other boats to pull back.
“I can’t make it out, sir,” said Gerald, as they were returning to the island; “I feel more certain than ever that the vessel with the black flag is the Ouzel Galley. I wish that we could have got on board her, to learn what has become of my friends.”
“It is very disappointing, I allow, Tracy,” answered the first lieutenant, “but I doubt if we should have been much the wiser. Depend on it, the pirates would not have acknowledged that their craft is the Ouzel Galley, and still less how they had disposed of the officers and crew.”