e
horizon within the hour since he had last looked at her was conclusive
proof to his mind that the craft was standing toward them; that, in
fact, they were approaching each other, though at a very low rate of
speed, in consequence of the exceedingly light air of wind that was
blowing. Fully satisfied upon this point he at once put the boat's helm
down, and she came slowly and heavily about, the captain easily working
the sheets himself.

By four bells Captain Staunton was able to discern with the naked eye
the shadowy patch of darkness which the stranger's canvas made on the
dusky line of the horizon, and when he called Mr Bowles at eight bells,
or four o'clock in the morning, the patch had become darker, larger, and
more clearly defined, and it lay about one point before the weather beam
of the launch. The telescope was once more called into requisition, and
it now showed not only the royals and topgallant-sails, but also the
topsails of the stranger fairly above the horizon.

"Thank God for that welcome sight!" exclaimed the chief mate, laying
down the telescope and reverently lifting his hat from his head. He
remained silent a minute or two, and then raising his eyes, allowed his
glance to travel all round the horizon and overhead until he had swept
the entire expanse of the star-spangled heavens. Then, with a sigh of
intense relief, he said--

"We're all right, I do verily believe, sir. There's the craft, plain as
mud in a wine-glass, bearing right down upon us, or very nearly so.
We've only to stand on as we're going and we shall cross her track.
There's very little wind, it's true, but the trifle that there is is
drawing us together; we're nearing each other every minute, and there's
no sign of any change of weather, unless it may happen to be that the
present light air will die away altogether with sunrise. I fancy I know
what you're thinking of sir; you're half inclined to say, `Out oars, and
let's get alongside her as soon as possible.' And that's just what I
should say if there was any sign of a breeze springing up, but there
ain't; she _can't_ run away from us, and therefore what I say is this:
the launch is a heavy boat, and we're all hands of us as weak as cats;
she's about six miles off now, and it would knock us all up to pull even
that short distance, whereas if we go on as we are we shall drop
alongside without any trouble by eight bells, or maybe a trifle earlier;
and if the wind _should_ di