were not likely to be stopped in
our object by fear of consequences. They once more drew ahead of us,
and in three or four minutes we had the mortification of seeing them run
alongside the brig, and leap on her deck, her way being scarcely
stopped. The falls were hooked on, and the boat was hoisted up.

We darted on. "A few more strokes and we shall be on board!" I shouted
to my men. Fairburn and Barlow in like planner urged on their people.
The brig had not yet again quite fetched away. An ominous silence was
kept on her decks. The heads only of those who had hoisted in the boat
were seen, and they and her crew disappeared as soon as the work was
done, and the yards were braced up. A solitary figure stood at the
helm. He was almost motionless, except that his bands moved the spokes
of the wheel, and his eyes were turned aloft looking at the sails as
they filled with the breeze.

Fairburn had again loaded his musket. He had observed the helmsman. He
lifted up his piece and fired. I expected to see the brig fly up into
the wind; but when the smoke cleared away, there stood the silent
helmsman at his post, in the same attitude as before, and apparently
uninjured.

"Give way, my lads, and we shall be on board her!" we shouted. A few
strokes more, and our wish would have been accomplished; but just as I
on the starboard side, and Fairburn on the port, were hooking on to the
main-chains, a strong puff of wind filled the sail, the boat-hooks
dropped in the water, and the black brig shot away from between us,
while I fancied that I heard a shout of derisive laughter issuing from
her decks. I fully expected that she would have revenged herself by
firing at us, but not another shot was discharged. Silently and calmly
she glided on, like a spirit of evil on the water. The helmsman stood
at his post; but as yet no one else had appeared. Every instant the
breeze freshened, and she rapidly flew away from us.

We now turned our attention to the schooner, which Van Graoul was
endeavouring to bring up to us; but although there was a strong wind
outside the harbour, she as yet felt but little of it. This, of course,
gave the _Emu_, if _Emu_ she was, a great start. It was, indeed, trying
to me to see the mysterious vessel once more elude my grasp, at the very
moment when I hoped to learn the fate of those so dear to me.

"We will pull back into the harbour, so as to get on board where there
is no wind, and not to