Part 5 (1/2)
The second lieutenant saluted, and the captain went forward to watch the schooner
”Are you co with me this time, Vandean?” said the lieutenant
”Yes, I hope so, sir,” said the lad
”Hope, eh? Hu about, my lad”
”Please don't speak,” said Mark, excitedly ”I've got it just right now Look sir, look, there's a regular fight going on aboard They're getting ready to pitch another lass to his eyes, and iave orders to the crew to stand ready Then, following the lass upon the schooner, and watched her ures, in the full expectation of seeing another heavy splash
But nothing more disturbed the surface of the water but the rush of the swift schooner, in whose wake lay what looked like an arrow-head of foaed from each side of her sharp prow; and as they neared her the captain grew excited
”She's going to heave to,” he cried
Just then a shot went skipping along the water, ht on in front of the schooner's bows, a er sufficiently faithful to warn the Yankee skipper of ould be the fate of his vessel if he did not strike his colours, for the man who aimed that shot could as easily have hulled the swift craft
At the captain's words every eye was directed to the A, but it remained in its place as both vessels sped on, and a couple h the lasses, a couple of black spots
That was all
”He's laughing at us,” growled Mr Staples ”Oh, if we could send a few shots through his wretched craft!”
”And I dare not,” cried the captain
Just then Mark again caught sight of so place on the schooner's deck, not five hundred yards from where they pressed on in pursuit It was hard to see at that distance, but hethe struggle which had taken place before; but in spite of his efforts, he was being dragged to the side; then, to Mark's horror, a hand was raised and a blow struck, followed by a splash in the water, which was scattered far and wide, as the youngas if it had revealed horrors which he could not bear
”First cutters!” rang out, and the lad ran to the boat; the captain repeated his orders to the second lieutenant as the _Nautilus_ was run on, so as to get as near as possible to the drowning slave before her speed was checked and her boat lowered There, all ready in their seats, the boat's creaited The expected moment came as the sails shi+vered, the boat kissed the water, the falls were unhooked, and in an extre on in full chase, and the cutter's oars were dipping in a quick, regular stroke which took them wide of the vessel's course, as she literally darted away
And now, as he stood up once more on the thwart, to try and make out the head of the black cast overboard, it struck Mark for the first time that they were alone upon the wide sea, and that the _Nautilus_ was very rapidly increasing her distance, while the schooner, to his excited fancy, already began to look s
”Be ready with that boathook,” shouted the second lieutenant
”Ay, ay, sir Mustn't miss this one,” muttered the speaker to himself
”See hiht to, by now Watch for the rippled water where he is swi, sir,” replied Mark, ”but I can't see anything”
”He's floating, perhaps Pull away, my lads Steady; we don't want to pass him”
There was a few minutes' silence