said the mate, looking anxiously
about him. "I think I perceive it freshening already."

"I fear the same thing," said Fred, who was manifestly very uneasy.
"We are now about two miles apart, and the prospect is that that will
be cut down one-half by sunset."

"And then?"

Fred shrugged his shoulders.

"All is not lost. When the sun goes down, with us a mile apart, we
shall be invisible; but they will crowd all speed, and stand a good
chance of coming up with us again."

"But we gain a chance to maneuver."

"There is hope and yet great risk in that, for if we can throw them
off the track we shall be safe, for we can easily get beyond their
range of vision long before sunrise; but at the same time, in making
these sharp turns, we shall lose a great deal of ground, provided we
don't succeed, and if they once get in sight of us after the moon
rises, the race will be ended, for we won't gain a chance to dodge
them again."

"And then?"

"There will be the worst fight you ever saw. We shall have to begin by
shooting these two, or pitching them overboard, if they don't happen
to get their work in ahead of us, and then we shall have more than
twenty savage islanders to keep off--if we can."

"We are pretty well armed, Captain Fred."

"Yes, we have our pistols, and there is a musket apiece for you, me
and Inez--for she will have to take a hand in the fight."

"And there will be no braver than she. Have they any firearms on
board?"

"I'm sorry to say they have, and that's what makes me more anxious
than anything else. There are spears, knives, battle-axes and at least
six loaded muskets, and what is more, the men who have them in hand
know how to use them."

Mate Storms looked anxious, as well he might, for this was a phase of
the question which had not presented itself to him. The case being as
it was, the pursuers would be likely to begin firing as soon as they
came within range, and when close in, the matter would be entirely
within their hands.

Everything seemed to augur ill for the fugitives. The wind was
steadily increasing and the flying proa was dashing through the water
at a tremendous rate. The pursuing one had already shifted its course,
so that this early in the afternoon the struggle had begun and
settled down to a virtual test of speed.

"What do you suppose they think of the whole business?" asked Mate
Storms, looking back at the double canoe as it rose on a huge swell at
the same moment that