d as the sun was sinking low, there
was no hope of coming up with them before dark. Still, it was possible
that the corvette might do so before the next morning. By that time
they would be approaching the Bahama or Windward Channel, a short way to
the southward of Saint Salvador, as the Spaniards called it, or Cat
Island, as it was named by the English buccaneers--the first land
belonging to America discovered by Columbus on his voyage in search of
the Indies.

"They are not likely to attempt running through the passage without
waiting for our convoy," observed the first lieutenant to Norman Foley.
"Besides the French, the Bahamas still swarm with picarooning rascals,
who are ever on the look-out for merchant craft, and would not scruple
to lay aboard any they fancy they can overcome."

"Even the most daring would scarcely venture, I hope, to attack a fleet
among which are so many armed vessels, well able either to defend
themselves or to retaliate on an intruder," answered Lieutenant Foley,
whose thoughts immediately flew to the _Ouzel Galley_.

"They would run the chance of getting off scot free in the confusion
their sudden appearance would make," said Mr Tarwig. "There is no
exploit, however hazardous, they would not undertake with the chance of
obtaining a good booty. I took part in the capture of several notorious
pirates a few years ago. One fellow blew up his ship rather than
surrender, and all died hardened villains, as they had lived."

"The greater need for us to overtake our friends without delay,"
answered the second lieutenant, who shortly afterwards went forward to
take a look through his night-glass, in the hope of distinguishing some
of the lights which the merchant vessels had been directed to hang over
the sterns. In vain, however, he swept the horizon with his telescope;
had the lights been there, he must have seen them. The commander was
almost as anxious as the second lieutenant to overtake the fleet of
merchantmen, though he was influenced simply by the desire to do his
duty. The watch below had turned in, but most of the officers kept the
deck; even old Crowhurst was continually on the forecastle in the hope
of seeing the looked-for lights.

"I fancied that they would have shortened sail and waited for our
coming," said Gerald. "What can have induced them to run on?"

"The fear that the Frenchmen would thrash us and overtake them,"
answered old Beater; "they judge of us by themselv