s the case," thought Captain Horn, but saying
no word to any one, "this is not a part of the sea for my wife to sail
upon!"

Still he knew nothing, and he could decide upon nothing. He could not be
sure that one of those vessels was not the yacht which had sailed from
Kingston with Mrs. Cliff, and Burke, and Shirley on board, and so the
_Monterey_ did not turn back, but steamed on slowly towards the distant
steamers.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE "VITTORIO" FROM GENOA

When Captain Horn on the _Monterey_ perceived that one of the vessels he
had sighted was steaming northward with the apparent intention of
meeting him, his anxieties greatly increased. He could think of no
righteous reason why that vessel should come to meet him. He had made
out that this vessel with the two others had been lying to. Why should
it not wait for him if it wished to speak with him? The course of this
stranger looked like mischief of some sort, and the Captain could think
of no other probable mischief than that which had been practised upon
the _Dunkery Beacon_.

The steamer which he now commanded carried a treasure far more valuable
than that which lay in the hold of the _Dunkery_, and if she had been a
swifter vessel he would have turned and headed away for safety at the
top of her speed. But he did not believe she could outsail the steamer
which was now approaching, and safety by flight was not to be
considered.

There was another reason which determined him not to change his course.
The observers on the _Monterey_ had now decided that the small vessel to
the westward of the _Dunkery Beacon_ was very like a yacht, and the
Captain thought that if there was to be trouble of any sort, he would
like to be as near Shirley and Burke as possible. Why that rapidly
approaching steamer should desire to board him as the _Dunkery Beacon_
had been boarded he could not imagine, unless it was supposed that he
carried part of the treasure, but he did not waste any time on
conjectures. It was not likely that this steamer carried a cannon, and
if she intended to attack the _Monterey_, it must be by boarding her;
probably by the same stratagem which had been practised before.

But Captain Horn determined that no man upon any mission whatever should
put his foot upon the deck of the _Monterey_ if he could prevent it.
Since he had taken on board Captain Hagar and his men, he had an
extraordinarily large crew, and on the number of his men he depended for