which, a short
time before, had seemed to be coming directly toward them. And so
simple were they that they did not suspect Jim's subsequent _move_, but
went straight ahead, keeping all their lights burning as before; thus he
was able to keep them in full view, although they could not see him.
Probably it never occurred to either of them to cast a single glance
astern!

Jim had reckoned on the suspected steamers being slower than his own
cruiser, and he soon saw that he was steaming about three knots to their
two, and overhauling them fast. The lieutenant had some time ago
reported the ship as cleared for action; and the look-out aloft stated
that there was no other sail in sight; consequently, Jim reckoned on
bringing the enemy to book in about half an hour's time, and dealing
summarily with him before the _Union_ could complicate matters by
putting in an appearance; a prospect which caused him no little
satisfaction, as he felt that he might have had all his work cut out to
deal effectively with the three, had the corvette been opposed to him at
the same time.

The _Angamos_, vibrating from stem to stern under the rapid revolutions
of her screw, plunged along through the black night, while, three miles
ahead, the guiding-lights shone out clearer and clearer every moment.
Half an hour passed and the cruiser was very, very near; so near,
indeed, that Jim could plainly hear the throbbing of the gun-runner's
machinery; and they must also have caught the sound of his, for he
suddenly saw another rocket rush up into the still night air, and
directly afterwards a red glow began to hover over the tops of their
funnels, showing that they were trying to increase their speed by
coaling up furiously.

But it was of no use. The gun-runners only gained a very few minutes'
grace. The _Angamos_ was much too fast a ship for them; and a few
minutes later she ranged up on the starboard side of the sternmost
steamer, while Jim, seizing a speaking-trumpet, hailed at the top of his
voice: "What ship is that? Heave-to! I wish to speak to you!"

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

CAPTAIN VILLAVICENCIO CATCHES A TARTAR.

For the space of quite half a minute there was no reply; and then, in
response to Jim's repeated summons, both steamers, as if by previous
arrangement, began to send blue rockets flying into the air; while both
set up a most unearthly shrieking on their steam-whistles. They had by
this time recognised that the suspicious st