are what he might say, hear, or see, for the reason that it was
not intended that he should have an opportunity of making reports of any
sort. Shirley had his supper to himself, and the Captain showed him a
bunk. "They can't do much talkin' to you," he said. "I had to sail ahead
of time, and couldn't ship many Englishmen."

"You liar," thought Shirley, "you didn't ship any!"

Shirley was a brave man, but as he lay awake in his bunk that night,
cold shivers ran down his back many times. If violence were offered to
him, of course he could not make any defence, but he was resolved that
if an attack should be made upon him, there was one thing he would try
to do. He had carefully noted the location of the companion-ways, and he
had taken off only such clothes as would interfere with swimming. If he
were attacked, he would make a bolt for the upper deck, and then
overboard. If the yacht should be near enough to hear or see him, he
might have a chance. If not, he would prefer the ocean to the _Dunkery
Beacon_ and her crew.

But the night passed on, and he was not molested. He did not know, down
there below decks, that all night the _Summer Shelter_ kept so close to
the _Dunkery Beacon_ that the people in charge of the latter cursed and
swore dreadfully at times when the yacht, looking bigger and blacker by
night than she did by day, rose on the waves in their wake, so near that
it seemed as if a sudden squall might drive the two vessels together.

But there was really no reason for any such fear. Burke had vowed he
would stick to Shirley, and he also stuck to the wheel all night, with
Burdette or the sailing-master by his side. And there was not an hour
when somebody, either a mariner or a clergyman, did not scan the deck of
the _Dunkery Beacon_ with a marine glass.

Shirley was not allowed to go on deck until quite late the next morning,
after Burke had given up his desperate attempt to communicate with the
_Dunkery Beacon_; and when he did come up, and had assured himself at a
glance that the _Summer Shelter_ still hung upon the heels of the larger
steamer, and had frantically waved his hat, the next thing he saw was
the small Mediterranean steamer which was rapidly coming down from the
north, while the _Dunkery Beacon_ was steaming northeast. He also
noticed that some men near him were running up a queer little flag or
signal, colored irregularly red and yellow, and then he saw upon the
approaching steamer a bit of bun