d squally,
too."

"Hist the mainsail then."

This sail was set, but the moment they began to hoist it, Mr. Hines made
the signal agreed upon, by waving his handkerchief on the wharf, for the
return of the Skylark. The steamer had gone, and most of the people had
left the wharf by this time. Bobtail, who was on the lookout for the
signal, saw it immediately, and headed the yacht for the pier. As Ben
Chinks had remarked, it blew hard, and the wind came in heavy flaws. The
Skylark had a single reef in her mainsail, and the jib was furled, but
even with this short canvas she flew like a bird.

"There goes the Eagle," shouted Monkey from the forecastle.

"Who's on board of her?" asked Bobtail.

"I reckon it's Captain Chinks; it looks like him."

The skipper looked at the boat through the spy-glass, and identified the
captain.

"He's trying to get away," said he.

"What for?" asked Monkey, who was in blissful ignorance of the smuggling
operation of the captain.

"You will soon know," replied Bobtail.

The Eagle, under jib and mainsail, was standing out of the harbor, and
the Skylark had to pass her on her way to the wharf. Captain Chinks was
at the helm himself, and at that moment, as he gazed at Little Bobtail,
he was the maddest man on the waters of Maine. Both boats were going
free, and when they were nearly abreast of each other, and not a hundred
feet apart, the captain suddenly put up his helm, and the Eagle darted
towards the Skylark, as if she shared the spite of her skipper, and as
an eagle would pounce upon a skylark.

"Down with your helm!" shouted Bobtail, full of excitement, for the
danger of a collision was imminent.

If the Skylark had held on her course, she would have been struck
amidships by the bow of the Eagle; but Bobtail jammed his helm hard
down, the result of which was to throw the yacht up into the wind, and
bring her alongside the other craft. As it was, the Eagle's bow grated
along the quarter of the Skylark. Bobtail supposed that Captain Chinks
intended to board the yacht, and he instantly seized the spare tiller,
which he always carried in the standing-room when it blew hard, and
stood ready to "repel boarders." But the captain did not intend to
capture the Skylark. Probably he intended to sink her; but his purposes
were only known to himself. The sails of the Eagle were still full, and
she continued on her course.

"Keep out of the way next time!" shouted Captain Chinks.

Bobta