Burgess the mate went forward, to stand for a few minutes looking into
the offing, before going back aft to say a word or two to the man at the
wheel, as the schooner was now gliding rapidly on, and then walked
sharply to where the skipper was giving orders to the men, which
resulted in a big gaff sail being run up, to balloon out and increase
the schooner's rate of speed through the water.
A short consultation ensued, another man was put on the look-out
forward, and the mate went back to take the wheel himself.
"Ah, that's better," said Poole quietly.
"What's better?" asked Fitz.
"Old Burgess taking the wheel himself. It's a bad enough place here in
the daylight, but it's awful in the darkness, and we are not quite so
likely to be carried by some current crash on to a rock."
"Then why, in the name of common-sense, don't we lay-to till daylight?"
"Because it wouldn't be common-sense to wait till that steamer comes
gliding up, and takes possession of the _Teal_. Do you know what that
means?"
"Yes; you would all be made prisoners, and I should be free," cried
Fitz, laughing. "My word, Master Poole, I don't want you to have a
topper first, but I'd let you see then what it is to be a prisoner
aboard the _Silver Teal_."
"Oh yes, of course, I know," replied Poole mockingly. "But you don't
know everything. When I asked you if you knew what it meant it was
this, that our cargo would go into the wrong hands and about ruin Don
Ramon's cause."
"Well, what does that matter?"
"Everything. Ramon, who has been striking for freedom and all that's
good and right, would be beaten, and the old President Don Villarayo
would carry on as before. He is as bad a tyrant as ever was at the head
of affairs, and it's to help turn him out of the chair that my father
and his Spanish friends are making this venture."
"Well, that's nothing to me," said Fitz. "I am on the side of right."
"Well, that is the side of right."
"Oh no," said Fitz. "According to the rule of these things that's the
side of right that has the strongest hold."
"Bah!" said Poole. "That would never do, unless it is when we get the
strongest hold, and that we mean to do."
"Well, I hope old Burgess, as you call him, won't run this wretched
schooner crash on to a rock. You might as well hand me out a life-belt,
in case."
"Oh, there's time enough for that," said Poole coolly.
"I'll take care of you. But I say, look! That gunboat is coming on two
knots for our one. Can't you see?"
"I can see her lights, of course, but it doesn't seem to me that she is
getting closer."
"She is, though, and she's bound to overtake us, for old Burgess is
keeping right along the main channel. Why, if I didn't know who was at
the wheel," cried the lad excitedly, "I should be ready to think that
the steersman had proved treacherous, and was playing into the enemy's
hands. Oh, here's father! I say, dad, do you see how fast that gunboat
is overhauling us?"
"Oh yes," said the skipper coolly. "It's all right, my boy; Burgess
knows what he's about. He wants to get a little more offing, but it's
getting nearly time to lie over on the other tack."