sinking rapidly towards the
horizon, turning the sails of the schooner, which had hitherto appeared
of snowy whiteness, into deep shadow. "Long Tom will reach her now,
I've a hope, sir," said Needham, "and if we can knock away some of her
flying kites, she may be ours before the day is over."

"Try, at all events," answered Jack, and Needham, giving a friendly slap
on the breech of the gun, while he cast his eye along the sight, brought
it to a proper elevation, and the brig yawing slightly, he pulled the
trigger. The shot flew straight for the chase, but as Jack watched its
course, he saw that it fell into the water short of the mark.

"It was not far off, though, sir," said Needham, "and if we hold on at
the rate we are going, we shall soon have her within range."

The gun was again loaded, and after another few minutes Jack ordered it
once more to be fired, but with no better success than at first, and, as
he saw, it would be useless to fire till he had gained still more on the
chase.

The lower limb of the sun had now, however, reached the horizon, below
which the glowing orb rapidly sank, and the shades of night came
creeping over the ocean.

Still the shadowy outline of the schooner, like a dark phantom stalking
over the deep, could be discerned ahead. A vigilant lookout was kept,
but hour after hour went by and the brig appeared to have got no nearer
to her than at first. Jack and most of his officers remained on deck.
Towards morning the distance seemed somewhat lessened. He had his eyes
on the chase, and could not help hoping that by daylight they might be
near enough to try what Long Tom could do, when the sails of the
schooner began to grow less and less distinct. He had a moment before
seen her; he rubbed his eyes; she had disappeared! It was very
provoking, still he could but hope that in the morning they would again
get sight of her. Ordering the same course to be kept, he at length
turned in, desiring to be immediately called should she be again seen.

When morning broke, a mist, similar to that which had risen the previous
day, obscured all distant objects. A lookout was sent aloft, but he
could see nothing; and when the sun rose in the sky, and the mist
dispersed, the chase was nowhere visible.

"Better luck next time," observed Jack, when he came on deck, and he
ordered the brig to be kept on her proper course for Saint Antonio, the
westernmost point of Cuba. Several vessels were sigh