to tell, it'll be all right. If he can't himself come with
the frigate, he'll allow us men to man this barque; enough to make short
work with her late crew, if we can once stand face to face with them. I
only wish we were in Panama."

"I'd rather we were off Coiba; or on shore wherever the ruffians have
landed."

"Not as we now are--three against twelve!"

"I don't care for that. I'd give ten thousand pounds to be in their
midst--even alone."

"Ned, you'll never be there alone; wherever you go, I go with you. We
have a common cause, and shall stand or fall together."

"That we shall. God bless you, Will Cadwallader! I feel you're worthy
of the friendship--the trust I've placed in you. And now, let's talk no
more about it; but bend on all the sail we can, and get to Panama.
After that, we'll steer for the island of Coiba. We're so far
fortunate, in having this westerly wind," he continues, in a more
cheerful tone. "If it keep in the same quarter, we'll soon come in
sight of land. And if this Chilian chart may be depended on, that
should be a promontory on the west side of Panama Bay. I hope the
chart's a true one; for Punta Malo, an its name imports, isn't a nice
place to make mistakes about. By running too close to it with the wind
in this quarter--"

"_Steamer to norrard_!" cries a rough voice, interrupting. It is
Grummet's.

The young officers, turning with a start, see the same.

Crozier, laying hold of a telescope, raises it to his eye, while he
holds it there, saying:

"You're right, cox: it is a steamer. And standing this way! She'll run
right across our bows. Up helm, and set the barque's head on for her!"

The coxswain obeys; and with a few turns of the wheel brings the
_Condor's_ head round, till she is right to meet the steamer. The
officers, with the negro assisting, loose tacks and sheets, trimming her
sails for the changed course.

Soon the two vessels, going in almost opposite directions, lessen the
distance between. And as they mutually make approach, each speculates
on the character of the other. They on board the barque have little
difficulty in determining that of the steamer. At a glance they see she
is not a warship; but a passenger packet. And as there are no others in
that part of the Pacific, she can be only one of the "liners" late
established between San Francisco and Panama; coming down from the
former port, her destination the latter.

Not so easy for those