otherwise have done; and we found that, with less wind, we went faster
in proportion through the water than did our pursuer.

It was with feelings such as I had very seldom before experienced, that
I saw the sun sinking towards the ocean, surrounded with a blaze of
glory; its bright rays falling on the loftier sails of the rover, while
they still reached our courses. Down it went beneath its watery home,
and I questioned very much with myself whether I should ever again see
it rise. I had no great confidence in Peter's trick, nor do I suppose
that he had much himself, when he came seriously to think about the
matter; but still, if overtaken, we had no other means of escaping--we
could not fight, and still less could we have any hope from the mercy of
our foes. I did not, however, mention my doubts to Peter, and far less
would I have done so to any of the other men. Young as I was, I had
seen enough of the world to have learned the value of discretion.

As the daylight disappeared, a grey canopy of clouds was spread over the
sky, sufficiently thick to obscure the stars. Thus the night was more
than usually dark. Still, as the atmosphere was free from mist,
seamen's eyes could distinguish objects at a considerable distance off.
With much anxiety we watched the rover, in the hope that the growing
darkness would hide her from our view; but still we could see her
following closely in our wake, and thus, of course, there was every
probability that she could see us. We could not expect that the
darkness would increase; consequently there would have been no use in
altering our course, as it would have been perceived on board; so all we
could do was to stand boldly on as before. At the rate she was
overhauling us, as the captain calculated, she would be up with us by
midnight. I should have liked to have shortened sail, and brought the
matter to an issue, but Captain Gale was not a man to act thus unwisely.
He knew that we might fall in with some friendly vessel, or that the
pirate might give up the chase, or that some sudden change in the
weather might enable us to escape at the last moment. Everything,
however, was prepared; and thus standing at our posts, we waited the
result.

Nearer and nearer drew the pirate. We were within range of her guns,
still she did not fire. On she came. She was close upon our quarter.

"Wait till I give the word," said the captain, in a low voice. She was
ranging up on our beam.