e within
gunshot."

"The agreement from the first was that we might remain in our cabin,"
remarked Roger.

"Oh no; but I propose that we get into the lowest depths of the ship,
where there is less chance of a shot coming," said Stephen.

"Suppose she is sent to the bottom," said Roger, "we shall be drowned
with the rest. We shall see the water rising, and if so, we must hurry
up on deck."

While Roger and Stephen were holding this conversation, they observed a
good deal of excitement among the officers. Presently two or three came
aft to the Captain, and, by their gestures, it was very evident that
they were insisting that the ship should be put about, and that they
should try and make their escape. The Captain yielded; the helm was put
up, the yards squared, and away the _Tiger_ ran before the wind, every
additional stitch of canvas which she could carry being set. The
stranger was not near enough to fire, or it might have fared ill with
the pirate.

"Our chance of liberty is diminishing by this time," observed Roger.
"The _Tiger_ before the wind has a remarkably fast pair of heels."

The stranger, however, seeing what the pirate was about, also made all
sail, and came bowling away after her, guessing probably her character.

"She will not catch us, gentlemen," said Sam, who came up to them.
"Cannot say that I am sorry we are running away. I put the officers up
to insisting on it, by telling them that we should be sent to the
bottom, or captured and strung up to the yard-arm, and they fortunately
believed me."

At first it was doubtful which ship was sailing the fastest; and Roger
thought, in spite of what Sam said, that the stranger was coming up with
them, but after a time it became evident that the _Tiger_ was getting
ahead. The Captain told Roger to be careful to mark down their course,
as they were standing away from the land to the westward. All day long
the chase continued; there was still some chance of their falling in
with another large ship, and if so, they might have to fight after all.
It was some hours past noon; they had already sunk the courses of the
stranger below the horizon, but there she was, in her former position,
still following, though a dark bank of clouds was now seen rising to the
westward, indicating a change of wind, and probably a heavy gale. The
clouds rose fast, and came scouring across the blue sky, while the
hitherto calm ocean was covered with foam-crested seas, whi