ncreasing breeze, and she began to glide rapidly away over the smooth
water.

"I was afraid so," exclaimed Mr Tarwig. "I am the most unlucky fellow
in existence. We shall lose her, after all."

As he spoke the pirate was seen to be running rapidly through the water,
the chase at the same time getting the breeze, and, as before, keeping
ahead and doing her utmost to escape. On seeing this, Mr Tarwig gave
the order to the other boats to pull back.

"I can't make it out, sir," said Gerald, as they were returning to the
island; "I feel more certain than ever that the vessel with the black
flag is the _Ouzel Galley_. I wish that we could have got on board her,
to learn what has become of my friends."

"It is very disappointing, I allow, Tracy," answered the first
lieutenant, "but I doubt if we should have been much the wiser. Depend
on it, the pirates would not have acknowledged that their craft is the
_Ouzel Galley_, and still less how they had disposed of the officers and
crew."

"They must have murdered them all," cried Gerald, bending down his head
upon the palms of his hands. "I cannot bear to think of it, for I am
sure that Owen Massey would not have yielded without a desperate
struggle."

"Well, Tracy, we have all our trials to bear. Cheer up, cheer up,
matters may not be so bad as you suppose," said Mr Tarwig in a soothing
tone. Rough as was his exterior, he was a true kind-hearted man at
bottom.

The two vessels were soon lost to sight in the darkness, which rapidly
came on. Still the guns could be heard, showing that the chase had not
yet yielded, and was, as before, endeavouring to make her escape. First
they were fired only at intervals, as either one or the other could
bring her bow or stern-chasers to bear on her antagonist; just as the
boats reached the shore the booming sounds came with far greater
rapidity, as if both were firing their broadsides.

"The pirate has brought the chase to action," exclaimed Mr Tarwig.
"May Heaven protect the right! The merchantman has done her best to
escape, and small blame to her. She will now, I doubt not, fight to the
last, and may, I hope, beat off the enemy."

The whole party, on landing, stood listening to the sound of the guns,
trying to judge how the fight was going. Broadside after broadside was
exchanged for the space of nearly half an hour; then suddenly the firing
ceased.

"Can the merchantman have beaten off the pirate?" said Gerald to the