cried Burke, "most likely that's another of the pirates!"

"And if it is," said his mate, "I think we'll have to trust to our
heels!"

Burke answered quietly, "Yes, we'll do that when we've got Shirley on
board, or when it's dead sure we can't get him!"

The people from the Mediterranean steamer did not remain on board the
_Dunkery Beacon_ more than half an hour, and when they returned to their
vessel, she immediately started her engines and began to move away.
Making a short circuit, she turned and steamed in the direction of the
distant vessel approaching from the northward.

"There," cried Burke, "that steamer off there is another of the pirates,
and these scoundrels here are going to meet her. They've got the whole
thing cut and dried, and I'll bet my head that the _Dunkery Beacon_ will
cruise around here until they're ready to come down and do what they
please with her!"

The actions of the treasure ship now seemed to indicate that Mr. Burke
was correct in his surmises. She steamed away slowly towards the south,
and then making a wide sweep, she steered northward, directing her
course toward the yacht as if she would speak with it.

CHAPTER XXVII

ON BOARD THE "DUNKERY BEACON"

When Edward Shirley stepped on board the big steamer which he had so
earnestly and anxiously followed from Kingston, and was received by her
captain, it did not take him long to form the opinion that Captain Hagar
belonged to a disagreeable class of mariners. He was gruff, curt, and
wanted to know in the shortest space of time why in the name of his
Satanic Majesty he had been asked to lay to, and what message that yacht
had for him.

Shirley asked for a private interview, and when they were in the
Captain's room he put the whole matter into as few words as possible,
showed the cablegram from Blackburn, and also exhibited his message from
Captain Horn. The other scrutinized the papers very carefully, asked
many questions, but made few remarks in regard to his own opinion or
intentions.

When he had heard all that Shirley had to tell him, and had listened to
some very earnest advice that he should immediately turn back to
Kingston, or at least run into Georgetown, where he might safely lie in
harbor until measures had been taken for the safe conveyance of the
treasure to Peru, the Captain of the _Dunkery Beacon_ arose, and asking
Shirley to remain where he was until he should go and consult with his
first mate, he went o