of her prize under her
own hatches. Not a light was shown, and as the moon was not up we
hoped to get within gunshot before being seen, as the pirate, seeing
no craft within sight before the sun went down, would not suspect that
the _Alert_ could be on his traces. We had to sail close to the wind
till we were round the point of the island, and then to run nearly
before it towards the spot where the vessels had been seen. In two
hours from the time of starting we reckoned that we must be getting
close to them if they still remained hove-to.

"All of a sudden, some two miles ahead, a point or two off the
starboard bow, a great flame shot up. Every moment it grew and grew
until we could see a large ship in flames, while another lay about a
quarter of a mile distant. Three or four boats were pulling from the
ship in flames towards the other, and as this was a bark we had no
doubt that we had caught the _Seamew_ at her villainous work. The
pirate was lying between us and the burning merchantman, so that while
her spars stood out clear and distinct against the glare of light we
must have been invisible to her. The word was passed quickly forward
for the men to go to quarters. Every gun was double-shotted and run
out, and then, all being ready for the fight, the men stripped to
their waists, cutlasses and boarding-pikes ready to hand, we waited
with breathless anxiety. We were already within range of our
bow-chasers, and as yet there was no sign that the pirate was
conscious of our presence. The boats were now near him, and no doubt
those on board were looking rather in their direction than to
windward. Rapidly the _Alert_ tore through the water, the sail
trimmers were all ready to take in her light canvas at a moment's
notice. The officers clustered on the quarter-deck, and the men stood
by their guns with every eye strained at the pirate. Nearer and nearer
we came, and our hopes rose higher and higher. We were within a mile
now, when suddenly a great movement was seen on board the pirate. The
breeze was steady, and the sea quiet, and loud words of command could
be heard shouted as a swarm of men ran up the rattlins. It was clear
we were seen. There was no further need of concealment, and the
captain gave word for the bow-chasers to open. Quickly as the pirate
got her canvas spread--and I do think that sharp as we had been on
board the _Alert_, the _Seamew_ was even quicker in getting under
canvas--we were scarce a quarter o