o
prevent it?"

"I would have stayed if it could have availed."

"It could not, and you know it. So why repine?"

"There is more than that to it," groaned Blood. "What now? What remains?
Loyal service with the English was made impossible for me. Loyal service
with France has led to this; and that is equally impossible hereafter.
What to live clean, I believe the only thing is to go and offer my sword
to the King of Spain."

But something remained--the last thing that he could have
expected--something towards which they were rapidly sailing over
the tropical, sunlit sea. All this against which he now inveighed so
bitterly was but a necessary stage in the shaping of his odd destiny.

Setting a course for Hispaniola, since they judged that thither must
Rivarol go to refit before attempting to cross to France, the Arabella
and the Elizabeth ploughed briskly northward with a moderately
favourable wind for two days and nights without ever catching a
glimpse of their quarry. The third dawn brought with it a haze which
circumscribed their range of vision to something between two and three
miles, and deepened their growing vexation and their apprehension that
M. de Rivarol might escape them altogether.

Their position then--according to Pitt's log--was approximately 75 deg.
30' W. Long. by 17 deg. 45' N. Lat., so that they had Jamaica on their
larboard beam some thirty miles to westward, and, indeed, away to the
northwest, faintly visible as a bank of clouds, appeared the great ridge
of the Blue Mountains whose peaks were thrust into the clear upper air
above the low-lying haze. The wind, to which they were sailing very
close, was westerly, and it bore to their ears a booming sound which in
less experienced ears might have passed for the breaking of surf upon a
lee shore.

"Guns!" said Pitt, who stood with Blood upon the quarter-deck. Blood
nodded, listening.

"Ten miles away, perhaps fifteen--somewhere off Port Royal, I should
judge," Pitt added. Then he looked at his captain. "Does it concern us?"
he asked.

"Guns off Port Royal... that should argue Colonel Bishop at work. And
against whom should he be in action but against friends of ours I think
it may concern us. Anyway, we'll stand in to investigate. Bid them put
the helm over."

Close-hauled they tacked aweather, guided by the sound of combat, which
grew in volume and definition as they approached it. Thus for an hour,
perhaps. Then, as, telescope to his eye