shifting the helm for a fresh
run at us. There was no anxiety that I could see in the lady's looks,
but Mr. Robinson was quite mightily bothered and worried and pale
enough to make me suppose that all this meant a pursuit, with a
capture to follow; and it was certain that whatever intentions the
steamer had, there was nothing in the night which was approaching to
promise us a chance of sneaking clear, for the sky was pure as glass,
and it wouldn't be long after sundown before the moon would be filling
the air with a light like morning.

Well, sir, fathom by fathom the steamer had her way of us. She had
drawn close enough to let Mr. Robinson make out the people abroad. As
for me, I was at the helm; for there was something in the maneuvering
of the steamer that made me suspicious, and I wasn't going to trust
any man but myself at the tiller. We held on as we were; we couldn't
improve the schooner's speed by bringing the wind anywhere else than
where it was; and no good was to be done by cracking on, even though
it had, come to our dragging what we couldn't carry; for the steamer's
speed was a fair fourteen if it was a mile, and our yacht was not
going to do that, you know, or anything like it. The moon had arisen,
and the sea ran like heaving snow from the windward, and by this time
the steamer was about half a mile ahead of us, about three points on
the weather bow. She was as plain as if daylight lay on her. All the
time the party and Mr. Robinson had kept the deck, she taking a view
now and then of the steamer with an opera-glass.

"Suddenly I yelled out, 'Mr. Robinson, by all that's holy, sir, that
vessel there means to run us down! Lads,' I shouted, 'tumble aft
quick, and see the boats all ready for lowering!'

"The lady jumped up with a scream, and seized hold of Mr. Robinson's
arm, who seeming to forget what he was about, shook her off, and fell
to raving to me to see that the steamer didn't touch us. By thunder,
sir, there was the cowardly brute slanting her flying length as though
to cross our hawse, but clearly aiming to strike us right amidships.
I shouted to the men to make ready and 'bout ship, and a minute after
I shoved the tiller over, and the yacht rounded like a woman waltzing.
But before we had gathered way the steamer was after us. The lady sent
up scream after scream. Mr. Robinson stood motionless, seeing as plain
as I that if the steamer meant to sink us there was no seamanship in
this wide world