out
six sweeps of a side and headed direct for the mouth of the channel.
Now this, I was afraid, indicated first, that the felucca was enacting
the part of lookout; and second, that our late antagonists had effected
a retreat to the Conconil lagoons, where they had probably united
themselves temporarily with Merlani's gang; and I anticipated that, if
this surmise of mine should prove correct, we should have our hands more
than full in the forthcoming attack. So heavy, indeed, would be the
odds against us in such a case that I thought it would be more prudent
to defer the attack for a day or two, merely passing through the channel
and affecting to make an examination of the cays on each side of it,
previous to retiring again and pursuing a course to the westward, thus
throwing our adversaries off their guard; when I considered it might be
possible to effect a descent upon them by way of Cardenas Bay, through
which we might perhaps be able to so nearly approach them, unobserved,
as to take them in a great measure by surprise. This plan, however, in
consequence of the injunction O'Flaherty had laid upon me at our
interview of the previous evening, I dared not put into effect without
first submitting it for his approval; and I accordingly went down to his
state-room to speak to him about it. To my surprise and chagrin I found
him utterly opposed to it. He argued that my plan would _not_ throw the
pirates off their guard, whilst it would allow them a great deal more
time in which to complete their preparations for an effective defence;
moreover, he disliked the idea of our making our approaches through
Cardenas Bay because of our having originally passed through it during
the night, when, as he said, we had had no opportunity to take careful
note of the landmarks, etcetera. I reminded him of the fact that the
water in Cardenas Bay was deep enough to float the schooner everywhere
about the track over which we should have to pass, and that that track
was, moreover, so nearly straight that, with a good breeze, we could
traverse it in an hour, thus materially lessening our chance of
discovery; but it was all of no avail, he _would_ have his own way; so I
was perforce compelled--with, I must confess, somewhat serious
misgivings--to return to the deck and give the necessary orders for
running in through the Barcos Channel as soon as the sea-breeze should
spring up.

At length, after what appeared to me an unusually long dela