ell
calculated their distance."

A puff of white smoke from the schooner's deck was followed by the heavy
boom of the eighteen-pound gun as the ball came whistling through the
air. Captain Weber held his breath for a moment, looking anxiously at
his spars, but the projectile, being aimed too high, passed between the
masts, pitching into the sea beyond.

"It's hard lines, Lowe, to serve as a target to those scoundrels," he
said; "and yet I see nothing for it."

"Our only hope is in yonder cloud. If it would but come on to blow, the
sea would get up quickly, and that craft would have her aim spoiled."

"Could you not tack and stand towards her?" asked the missionary, who at
that moment came upon deck with Dom Maxara.

"It would be useless. Yonder schooner lies up to the wind a couple of
points nearer than we can do. It is the advantage her fore and aft
sails give her; besides, she has the heels of us, and can choose her
distance and position. We have nothing to do but to hold on and trust
to chance."

Again the white cloud of smoke on the schooner's decks, and once more
the iron messenger came flying over the wave on its deadly mission. The
ball struck the brig's quarter, and glancing upwards, broke its way
through the deck, covering it with splinters. The man, Adams, was at
the helm, and the spokes flew through his hands as he tottered for a
moment, and then fell heavily forward. The mate sprang to his place,
and, seizing the wheel, brought the brig rapidly on to her course, while
two seamen hurrying aft bore away the wounded man, a dark stain on the
white deck marking the spot where he had fallen, a large splinter having
struck him on the temple.

"We must think of your daughter, Dom Maxara," said Captain Weber. "The
brig is utterly powerless; but it is better that these fellows sink us,
than that they put foot on her decks."

Dona Isabel sat in the cabin, where the breakfast things yet lay on the
table, while beside her was Captain Hughes, his arm passed round her
waist. The tears were standing in her eyes, and her cheek was pale, for
the soldier had been telling her what sort of people the schooner's crew
were, and what fate would be theirs if captured. The tale had been as
delicately worded as possible, for it was a hard one even from a lover's
mouth.

"Cheer up, Isabel," he continued; "there is always hope so long as we
keep the Malays at a distance; and if we could only have wind we might
yet