The two midshipmen strained their ears in vain into the night, but no sound of their quarry was evident.
The gunboat was again stopped and the word passed for silence. A stillness crept over the gunboat. The sailors stood alert, silent in strained attitudes of listening, but no sound could be heard to cheer the now depressed Americans.
“They’ve stopped rowing,” Sydney exclaimed, “and with this breeze they must be going away from us fast.” The midshipmen gazed at each other in consternation. What should be done? Should they steam ahead blindly, awaiting the day? Might not the proa have discovered the presence of the gunboat and changed its course? Both knew that ten miles to the eastward treacherous coral reefs covered the sea, through which the gunboat must navigate cautiously, even if it were possible to go at all. Was the outlaw again to escape? Then their attention was attracted by a new sound as the chug of oars came to their ears, but this time from a direction opposite to that taken by the first boat.
“It’s a second boat,” Phil exclaimed in a troubled voice. “What can it mean?” The noise of the approaching boat came closer and closer and then suddenly out of the night a great sail appeared, while a Spanish hail drifted across the waters:
“Espinosa is in a proa ahead of us. This is Colonel Martinez.”
Both lads recognized their friend’s voice, even before he declared his identity, and now with his mind made up that he must act quickly, Phil called back:
“I shall steam directly ahead for the reefs; stand by to take a line.”
The active natives caught the tow-line heaved to them from the stern of the gunboat, and the “Mindinao” at full speed raced toward the gray in the eastern sky, while the proa astern lowered her sail and leaped joyfully in tow of the steamer.
O’Neil stood like a statue at the bow’s gun, his eyes endeavoring to pierce the gloom ahead. His eager eyes were conscious of the growing light. Farther and farther his range of vision grew; now a mile of sea on either bow was in sight, but barren of sail. Then from out the dissolving mist, the sailor saw a dim shadow and knew that the quarry at last was found and in easy range.
“I see her, sir,” he hailed joyfully. “Can I give her a polite invitation to heave to?”