Part 14 (2/2)

Carlos re-affirmed his statement. ”The first time he is away some weeks, when he come back very happy, and say he have find gold mine, and he show us gold. But he have been away five and six day and come back.”

It was then the schooner again took our notice, for the sails began to come down again, and soon they were all snug between gaffs and booms.

”Just shaking the wrinkles out of them,” suggested Ray.

The sun was now nearing the horizon. Norris and Ray hurried up the beach, to get themselves aboard the _Pearl_, and have Captain Marat move down, after dark, close to the point on its west. Thus this tongue of land with its tall palms, would still hold a screen between the two schooners.

Night, with the precipitancy peculiar to the tropics, rose up and lay its black cloak over everything. While the stars were out bright, the moon was not due till near daylight. An hour Carlos and I waited, watching that dark spot in the cove that represented the _Orion_. Then Norris and Robert joined us. Our schooner now lay about a mile from sh.o.r.e, they told us. The land breeze soon sprung up, and still there was no movement in the cove.

”Looks like they've settled down there for the night,” suggested Robert.

”Don't say that,” said Norris.

Then came a faint flash of light over there, and in another minute we heard the squeak of a block.

”The sails are going up!” I said. ”Now back to the _Pearl_.”

We hurried on among the pillar-like trunks of palms; in a little we were in the small boat, and at last the _Pearl_ took us in.

”They're making sail,” I told Captain Marat.

He took me into the cabin, and showed me the chart. There was there shown a long shoal, that would necessitate the _Orion_ pa.s.sing us and going some miles west, to round the end of the shoal, and so out to sea, for a run down the coast to the east. ”Unless,” said Captain Marat, ”they have some safe pa.s.sage through the shoal, say through here.” And he pointed to a place opposite the point, where the depth figures indicated such a possible pa.s.sage.

We got on a jib, and crawled out a bit nearer to the place indicated; and again we let down the anchor.

We had not long to wait this time. A dark object moved into our view.

With a distant squeak of a block or two, it turned seaward. We were not many minutes getting under way. We lost sight of the _Orion_ before we got way on, and when we were well beyond the shoal, we took our course east at a guess.

We had sailed there an hour, covering some miles, before that dark ma.s.s again showed before us. We then almost ran the other schooner down, for she lay hove to, her sails flapping. With quick work Captain Marat likewise brought the _Pearl_ about.

During the maneuver I had had opportunity to note that a small boat of the _Orion_ had separated itself from that vessel, and was a little way sh.o.r.eward. But at our coming the boat turned about, and made back to the _Orion_ again.

That vessel's sails directly filled once more, its bowsprit pointing down the coast. The _Pearl_ was not long in falling into its wake. And then came a flash and report from the _Orion_. Norris rushed into the cabin, brought out his rifle and sent a bullet after that vessel.

”t.i.t for tat!” he said. ”I'll bet that that cooled his enthusiasm.”

The enemy did not see fit to continue the exchange.

”Humph--'t.i.t for tat'” mused Ray. ”Norris and Duran talk to one another in the old code.”

”Oh, and maybe you can tell what we were saying,” bantered Norris.

”Sure,” said Ray. ”That fellow's 'tat' said--'Don't you dare follow me!'

and your 't.i.t' said--'You're another.'”

”You're a mighty wise gazabo,” said Norris.

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