Part 58 (1/2)

”No,” he said; ”we're all f.a.gged as it is, and no pulling on our part will bring us alongside of a boat that can sail like that. Pull steadily, my lads, and let the stream do the rest. The chances are that the captain has sent a boat up the river to look after us, and that we shall catch the lugger between two fires, if Mr Munday has not been first.”

A good lookout was kept as the cutter dropped down the stream, and at every bend the men were ready to fire, but they searched with eager eyes in vain, and a general feeling of disappointment had attacked the hungry and exhausted party, while the lieutenant's countenance was over-clouded by a stern look which betokened the bent of his thoughts in connection with the coming meeting with his chief, when a glimpse was seen through the trees at a sharp curve which sent a thrill of excitement through the boat and made Murray spring to his feet.

”What's that?” cried the lieutenant.

”The lugger, I think, sir,” whispered the middy. ”I just caught sight of one of her masts.”

”Hist! Silence!” said the lieutenant. ”Dip as quietly as you can, my lads. Two of you there, t.i.tely and Lang, be ready to fire, and drop the steersman if they don't lower their sails.”

”Ay, ay, sir!” came back, in a whisper, followed by the clicking of musket locks, and the oars dipped into the water with scarcely a sound.

”I can't make her out, Mr Murray,” whispered the lieutenant. ”Are you sure that you were not deceived?”

”Certain, sir,” was the reply.

”I saw her too, sir,” put in Roberts, ”but the trees were very thick and there's a big bend there.”

”Humph! Yes; the stream winds and doubles upon itself like a snake.

You, Tom May, you've got a voice like a speaking trumpet; be ready to hail them, and if they don't lower their sail directly, fire, as I said before, at their steersman.”

The minutes which followed were full of excitement, and then a low murmur arose, for one of the men forward turned to draw the attention of the officers in the stern sheets to the head of a mast which was seen for a few moments pa.s.sing along above the bushes apparently at the edge of the river, and only some five hundred yards from where the cutter was gliding swiftly down.

”We shall do it, my lads,” whispered the lieutenant to the middies.

”But they've altered their course, sir,” said Roberts softly. ”They're coming to attack.”

”No, no; that's only because the stream winds so; or else--yes, that's it. They've caught sight of one of our boats coming up, and, bravo! we shall take the scoundrels, as I expected, between two fires.”

The lieutenant sprang to his feet and clapped his hand to his sword, for a clean white lug sail came fully into sight. But he thrust his sword back into its sheath before dropping into his seat, for Tom May growled out in his siren-like voice--

”Second cutter, sir, and yon's Mr Munday, sir, in the starn sheets.”

”Then where's the slaver's lugger?” cried the first lieutenant, and a voice from the man-o'-war boat which was coming up stream under oars and a couple of lug sails shouted--

”_Seafowls_ ahoy!”

”Bah!” cried Mr Anderson. ”Then we must have pa.s.sed some branch of the river; and I'm sure we kept a sharp lookout. How stupidly blind!”

”Perhaps Mr Munday's lads pa.s.sed a branch, sir,” cried Murray eagerly.

”Thank you, Mr Murray,” said the lieutenant, clapping the lad on the shoulder. ”I hope you're right, for I could never have forgiven myself if we had been met by this fresh misfortune.”

CHAPTER THIRTY.

BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME.

”Why, where have you been?” cried the second lieutenant, as the two boats ran alongside. ”The captain's been nearly mad with excitement and anxiety.”

”Oh, don't ask me,” cried Mr Anderson. ”But tell me this, has the stream forked anywhere as you came up?”