last, and the mountain became glorified once more, but
it was a long time before a glimpse could be caught of their
destination, and then, like a faint cloud extending right and left for
miles, there was land--dim, low-lying misty land, without a sign of
elevation or peak.

"That's it sure enough, Mr Jack, sir," said Ned, shading his eyes from
the glare of the sea; "and now it's a question of paddles against
screw."

"Yes. Which will win, Ned?"

"Screw, sir. If it was wind and sails in this changeable sort of place
I should be a bit doubtful, but I ain't the least."

A stern chase is always a long one, they say, and to the prisoners it
seemed to be here, and Hope and Doubt alternately held sway, while to
Jack's agony the dim, distant flat land, which by degrees began to
assume the aspect of a long range of extremely flat islands, appeared to
come steadily nearer, while the yacht hardly seemed to stir.

"She will never catch us, Ned," said Jack despondently.

"Go along with you, sir. She'll do it before we get near. Not but what
these fellows paddle splendidly. Hallo! what are they going to do?"

The answer came in the quick hoisting of a couple of low masts and the
same number of matting sails, for the water was beginning to be flecked
by a coming breeze. In addition, the men rapidly rigged out a couple of
bamboos on one side, and lashed their ends to another which lay along
the bottom of the boat, so as to form an outrigger to counteract the
pressure of the sails.

A few minutes later the paddles were laid in, for the great canoe was
gliding through the water faster than the men could propel her.

At last, though, hope began to grow stronger in the prisoners' breasts,
for it was plain now that with full steam on the yacht was rapidly
coming up.

"They'd got no pressure on at first, sir, only enough to send her along
a bit. What do you say to it now?"

"It's in doubt, Ned. They may run us into shallow water where the yacht
dare not come."

"But she dare send her boats, sir. Oh, we're all right now.--If they
don't knock us on the head when they find they're beaten," Ned added to
himself.

The faces of those on board the yacht began now to grow plain as the
mountain seemed to be steadily sinking in the distance, and figures
could be made out on the low shore in front.

"Ned, Ned, look," whispered Jack excitedly. "It's all over with us."

"Why, what for?"

"Can't you see they are getting out