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certain circumstances, taking the direction of the wind and the state of the weather as data upon which to base your argument, and, in conjunction with these, the course the vessel was steering when last seen, or the part of the world to which you have reason to believe she is bound, it is astonishing how near a guess may be and is not unfrequently made as to her whereabouts. Now we knew that the _Albatross_ was bound to the Pacific when we last saw her, because she was then hove-to, evidently with the intention of maintaining as weatherly a position as possible. Had she been bound to the eastward, the weather was not so bad at that time as to have prevented her scudding before it, which she undoubtedly would have done under such circumstances, making a fair wind of it. At the same time there was of course a possibility of our being mistaken as to the craft in sight being the pirate-brig, it being by no means an unusual thing for vessels as small as she was, or even smaller, to venture round the Cape. "Well," said I, "perhaps it will be safest, Bob, to assume for the present that this brig _is_ the _Albatross_. What, under such circumstances, is your advice?" "Which of us has the weather-gauge, d'ye think?" queried Bob. "It is rather difficult to decide at present," I replied. "Much depends upon which of us is the fastest. If we are both going at about the same speed, I should say we shall pass extremely close to her." "How is she heading, Harry?" was the next question. "To the northward, rather edging down towards us, if anything, I thought." "Ay, ay," chuckled Bob, "it ain't _every_ craft as can stick her bowsprit into the wind's eye like this here little barkie. Now I dare swear he's jammed hard up upon a taut bowline, and here _we_ are going as close to the wind as he is, and every thread ramping full. Take hold of her a minute, Hal, and let's see what these old eyes of mine can tell us about the stranger." I took hold of the tiller, and Bob went aloft with the deliberation of the seaman who is in no particular hurry. Having reached the cross- trees, he stood upon them, with one hand grasping the peak-halliards to steady himself, whilst with the other he shaded his eyes. "I see her, I see her," he exclaimed; "we're raising her fast, Harry, my boy; and in another half-hour or so we shall see her from the deck." He then went as high as the yard of the topsail, and clung there for a good f
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