steer. "I wish we had a sail to
drive her on faster."

"I fear, indeed, that there is a breeze getting up," said Fleetwood, in
a tone which ill concealed the apprehensions he felt. "The other boats,
however, may not have sails. They must all have come off in a great
hurry."

"I see something which has a sail, though," exclaimed Bowse. "The
rascals have towed out one of their cursed misticos, and we shall have
her after us presently. I see her white canvas, even now, gleaming in
the moon-light. She does not feel the breeze yet, for there is a little
northerly in it, and the cliffs becalm her."

"I fear you are right, Bowse," said Fleetwood. "I have just now, also,
caught a glimpse of her; but the breeze is still very light, and will
not send her faster through the water than the boats can pull, so we
need not fear her, I hope. It convinces me, also, that the boats have
no sails; but that they believe we have, and might, if the wind
increases, get away from them. Courage, my friends, we must not
despair."

"We may give them a tough job to take us, sir, even if they come up with
us," exclaimed the young midshipman, glancing over the boats, which were
clearly overhauling them. "There are five of us,"--he reckoned himself
a man in strength, as he was in courage--"and, with arms in our hands,
we may thrash a few dozen rascally pirates, any day. But it may be as
well to sing out again, and let our friends know our whereabouts."

He jumped up as he said this, and shouted at the top of his voice; but
no hail was heard in return; and it now became too probable that, owing
to the calm which had prevailed all day, the _Ione_ had been delayed,
and that her boats had not reached their station; for, otherwise, as
Fleetwood suggested, they would most certainly have pulled towards them
directly they heard the guns of the _Sea Hawk_. Again and again Jack
Raby hailed, with the same result; and it now became very certain that
they must not depend on the speedy assistance of their friends. To say
that Fleetwood's heart sank within him, as this circumstance became
evident, would be wrong; at the same time that he saw clearly the very
great danger to which he and those with him were exposed.

"That they have refrained from firing shows that they will not injure
Ada; and when she tells the pirate that a large ransom is ready to be
paid for her, he will send her, unharmed, on board the _Ione_; and, for
ourselves, we must se