all have something
to look for besides the French fleet, which may be a hundred miles away."

"Ay, or a thousand," the captain added.

Will had been standing not far from the captain, and heard this
conversation. His heart beat high at the thought of the possibility of a
fight with these murderous pirates.

For three weeks they cruised off the coast of Cuba. They saw no sign
whatever of the French fleet, but from time to time they heard from native
craft of the pirates. The natives differed somewhat widely as to the
head-quarters of these pests, but all agreed that it was on an island
lying in the middle of dangerous shoals.

One day they saw smoke rising some fifteen miles away and at once shaped
their course for it. When they approached it they found that it rose from
a vessel enveloped in flames.

"She is a European ship," the captain said as they neared her. "Send an
officer in a boat to row round her and gather any particulars as to her
fate. I see no boats near her, and I am afraid that it is the work of
those pirates."

All watched the boat with intent interest as she rowed round the ship.

"I have no doubt whatever that it is the work of pirates," the officer
said on his return. "Her bulwarks are burnt away, and I could make out
several piles on deck which looked like dead men."

"Send a man up to the mast-head, Farrance, and tell him to scan the
horizon carefully for a sail. I should say this ship can't have been
burning above three hours at most."

No sooner had the man reached the top of the mast than he called down
"Sail ho!"

"Where away?" Mr. Farrance shouted.

"On the port bow, sir."

"What do you make her out to be?"

"I should say she was a schooner by her topsails."

The ship's course was at once changed, and every rag of sail put upon her.
The first lieutenant climbed to the upper crosstrees, and after a long
look through his telescope returned to deck.

"I should say she is certainly one of the schooners that we are in search
of, sir, but I doubt whether with this light wind we have much chance of
overhauling her."

"We will try anyhow," the captain said. "She is probably steering for the
rendezvous, so by following her we may at least get some important
information."

All day the chase continued, but there was no apparent change in the
position of the two vessels. The _Furious_ was kept on the same course
through the night, and to the satisfaction of all on board they found,
w