a gentle wind from the eastward, and a smooth sea.
Three miles of salt-water were between her and her antagonist, before
the schooner's foresail was again set, when the vessel once more made
sail on a wind and with her gaff topsails, fore and mainsail,
fore-topmast staysail, and jib, seeming to fly through the water, making
three feet for the "Halcyon's" one, going well to windward. The glass,
however, still showed a vast amount of bustle and disorder on her decks;
and Captain Weber, rubbing his hands, dived down below into the cabin to
breakfast.

"Call me at once if there is any change on deck, Mr Lowe; but I think
that fellow's had enough of us," said the jubilant master.

"Ay, ay, sir," said the mate, taking charge of the deck.

"Keep a bright look out on yonder jagged cloud; it will take in our
flying kites for us before sunset," were the captain's last words as he
disappeared down the hatchway.

Below, the table had been laid for breakfast by the steward, who, with
all a sailor's carelessness, had proceeded with his ordinary duty, just
as though nothing out of the common way had happened. In the cabin the
passengers were gathered, if such they may be termed, for the scenes of
peril through which they had passed had so identified them with the
brig, that they seemed to look upon her as their home, while the
captain, quite unused to carry passengers, and having seen the men of
the party fighting as if under his orders, and Isabel wounded on his
decks, had got quite to consider them as part and parcel of his crew.

Captain Hughes appeared thoughtful and preoccupied; but the rest, the
master included, revelled in the idea of danger past.

"We lie our course, and shall soon have plenty of wind," he remarked,
drawing towards himself a massive English ham, which he proceeded to
carve. "I only wish I had a few more guns, and I would not let that
blackguard off so easily."

"You think we shall have a storm?" asked Wyzinski.

"It is just the season for it in these seas," replied the captain, "and
yonder cloud over the land will make itself felt before long. The
mercury is falling in the barometer rapidly."

"Do you think our guns did much damage among the Malays?"

"No. It was a lucky shot that brought the villains' foresail on deck;
but even in this smooth sea it needs practice to make gunners, and my
lads have had none."

"But you think the pirate has left us?" It was Captain Hughes who put
the question