to lose sight of
her for a moment. I would give a good deal to know what she is
going to do. I cannot think that she is going to try to go round
the southeast point of the island, for if she were she would have
laid her head that way before."

The Osprey edged out until they opened the line of coast beyond the
headland, and then kept her course again. There was a trifle more
wind as the sun rose higher, and the yacht went fully a knot faster
through the water. In less than two hours the brigantine was
abreast of the headland. Presently Frank exclaimed:

"She is hauling in her wind."

"That she is, sir," Hawkins, who had just come on deck, exclaimed.
"She surely cannot be going to run into the bay."

"She can be going to do nothing else," Frank said. "What on earth
does she mean by it? No doubt that scoundrel is going to land with
Miss Greendale, but why should he leave the Phantom at our mercy,
when he could have sent her on to Port au Prince?"

"I cannot think what he is doing, sir; but he must have some game
on, or he would never act like that."

"Of course, he may have arranged to go with the lady to some place
up in the hills; but why should he sacrifice the yacht?"

"It is a rum start anyhow, and I cannot make head or tail of it. Of
course you will capture her, sir?"

"I don't know, Hawkins. It is one thing to attack her when she has
Miss Greendale on board, but if she has gone ashore it would be
very like an act of piracy."

"Yes, sir. But then, you see, they fired into our boat, and killed
one of our men, and wounded you and four or five others."

"That is right enough, Hawkins, but we cannot deny that they did it
in self defence. Of course, we know that they must have recognised
us, and knew what our errand was, but her captain and crew would be
ready to swear that they didn't, and that they were convinced by
our actions that we were pirates. At any rate, you may be sure that
the blacks would retain both craft, and that we should be held
prisoners for some considerable time, while Miss Greendale would be
a captive in the hands of Carthew. I should attack the brigantine
if I knew her to be on board, and should be justified in doing so,
even if it cost a dozen lives to capture her; but I don't think I
should be justified in risking a single life in attacking the
brigantine if she were not on board. To do so would, in the first
place, be a distinct act of piracy; and in the second, if we got
possessi