of those shot should strike the masts, or tear through the
sails, there would be no getting away.

"I want you to look at it just as I do," Raed continued; for we none
of us had said a word. "If we had tried to get on board, 'The Curlew'
would certainly have been captured, and we with her. Now she stands a
chance of getting off."

_Bang!_ What a tremendous gun! The large ship was getting off
opposite. The report made the ledge tremble under us.

"Hadn't we better get out of sight?" Donovan said. "They may see us,
and send a boat over here."

"No danger of that, I think," replied Raed. "They want to run the
schooner down, and wouldn't care to leave their boat so far behind.
This strong north-west wind favors them. Still I don't think they are
gaining much. They're not going over ten or eleven knots. 'The Curlew'
will beat that, I hope,--if none of those big shots hit her," taking
out his glass. "How beautiful she looks!"

"But, Raed," remarked Kit soberly, "they will chase her clean out the
straits into the Atlantic, even if they do not capture her."

"They may."

"And she'll be rather short-handed for men," observed Donovan.

"That's too true."

"Then what are the chances of her getting back here for us?" cried
Wade.

_Bang!_ from the great white mass of bulging canvas now fairly
opposite us. The smoke drifted out of her bows. We could hear the
rattle of her blocks, the swash of the sea, and the roar of sails;
and, quite distinct on the fresh breeze, the gruff commands to reload.

"Capt. Mazard won't leave us here if he lives and has his liberty,"
said Raed.

"Oh, he'll come back if he can!" exclaimed Donovan. "He's true blue!"

"But what if he can't," Kit observed quietly. "What a situation for
us! Here we are a thousand miles from a civilized town or a civilized
people, and in a worse than trackless wilderness! The season, too, is
passing. The straits will soon be closed with ice."

"Only think of it!" Wade cried out,--"here on this frozen coast, with
winter coming on! In a month it will be severe weather here. We've
nothing but our cloth clothing!"

Wade turned away; and for many minutes we were all silent.

_Bang!_

"Come, fellows!" Raed exclaimed at length. "This won't do! Wade has
got the gloomiest side out! Come, rally from this! See, they're not
gaining on the schooner! Look how she's bowling away! They haven't hit
her yet. Kit! Wash! I say, fellows, it looks a little bad, I own. But
never