ts character
might be.
The wind rose again, but it did not become a gale. It was merely what a
swift vessel would wish, to show her utmost grace and best speed. The
moon came out and made a silver sea. The long white wake showed clearly
across the waters. The captain never left the deck, but continued to
examine the horizon with his powerful glasses.
Robert, quick to deduce, believed that they were in some part of the sea
frequented by ships in ordinary times and that the captain must be
reckoning on the probability of seeing a vessel in the course of the
night. His whole manner showed it, and the lad's own interest became so
great that he lost all thought of going down to his cabin. Unless force
intervened he would stay there and see what was going to happen, because
he felt in every fiber that something would surely occur.
An hour, two hours passed. The schooner went swiftly on toward the
south, the wind singing merrily through the ropes and among the sails.
The captain walked back and forth in a narrow space, circling the entire
horizon with his glasses at intervals seldom more than five minutes
apart. It was about ten o'clock at night when he made a sharp, decisive
movement, and a look of satisfaction came over his face. He had been
gazing into the west and the lad felt sure that he had seen there that
for which he was seeking, but his own eyes, without artificial help,
were not yet able to tell him what it was.
The captain called the mate, speaking to him briefly and rapidly, and
the sullen face of the Spaniard became alive. An order to the steersman
and the course of the schooner was shifted more toward the west. It was
evident to Robert that they were not running away from whatever it was
out there. The slaver for the first time in a long while took notice of
Robert.
"There's another craft in the west, Peter," he said, "and we must have a
look at her. Curiosity is a good thing at sea, whatever it may be on
shore. When you know what is near you you may be able to protect
yourself from danger."
His cynical, indifferent air had disappeared. He was gay, anticipatory,
as if he were going to something that he liked very much. The close-set
eyes were full of light, and the thin lips curved into a smile.
"You don't seem to expect danger," said Robert. "It appears to me that
you're thinking of just the opposite."
"It's because I've so much confidence in the schooner. If it's a wicked
ship over there we'l
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