pe thus to
keep well ahead of any boat sent in pursuit of them.

Two days more they stood on. One passed by very like the other. The
wind remained steady, the sea smooth.

On the fourth day, some time after sunrise, a sail was seen ahead. Had
not they all felt sure that the ship they had passed was the _Ouzel
Galley_, they would have avoided her. Although prepared, if necessary,
to perform the whole voyage to Jamaica, Owen judged that it would be far
safer to get on board the first ship they could fall in with. He
resolved, therefore, to approach her, and should she prove to be
English, to run alongside. He little doubted that, even should she be
French or Spanish, on their giving an account of their escape from the
pirates, they would be treated with humanity. He accordingly steered
towards her.

"Hurrah!" cried Dan. "She's a frind, she's a frind--for, there, up goes
the English flag."

His quick eye had seen the character of the bunting as it ascended in a
ball to the peak, even before it blew out to the breeze.

As the canoe approached, the ship hove to, and in a few minutes the
party of fugitives were alongside. Owen was quickly on deck, when the
first person he encountered was Gerald Tracy. Exclamations of surprise
burst from their lips, and Owen was soon shaking hands with Norman Foley
and the rest of the _Champion's_ officers. His companions had followed
him, Pompey shoving up old Mammy with his shoulder, while Dan hauled
away at her from above. Numerous questions were put to Owen as to where
he had come from, and he had to answer them before he could ask others
in return.

At first he had experienced a feeling of intense satisfaction upon
finding himself on board a friendly ship, but his grief may be imagined
when he now heard that Captain Tracy and his daughter had fallen into
the power of O'Harrall and his savage crew. Instead of rejoicing at his
escape, he regretted having left the island, lest they might retaliate
on their hapless prisoners. He trembled at the thought of what might be
Norah's fate. Gerald, of course, shared his feelings; and, indeed,
every one sympathised with them both.

As soon as the canoe was hoisted up the sails were filled, and the
_Research_ again stood on her course towards the pirate's island.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

VOYAGE OF THE RESEARCH COMMENCED--NORAH'S ANXIETIES--A CALM--TROPICAL
SEA--A GALE SPRINGS UP--THE SHIP RUNS BEFORE IT--AGAIN STANDS TO THE