oard and grapple
her. Her skipper'll have no time to show fight if you do your work to
rights. I'm all of a tremble about it, I tell yew, for it means so much
to me. There; my work's jest about done, and I'm going to run for the
shore out of the way. I don't want the Portygee to get so much as a
sniff of me."

"Cast off," said the lieutenant; and as the cutter dropped back free,
the lugger seemed to spring forward into faint mist, which began to show
upon the broad surface of the great river, while the sloop glided up
alongside, one of the men caught the rope that was heaved to them, and
directly after Murray missed their pilot and his swift craft, for it was
eclipsed by the _Seafowl_ as she glided between, right in the lugger's
wake.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

TRAPPED.

"Well, Mr Anderson," said the captain, as the latter briefly related
the last sayings of the American, "that's all plain enough, and in a few
minutes we ought to be alongside."

"Yes, sir, after following the windings of the river, or in other words
following our guide, till we see the masts of the schooner above the
trees." And the lieutenant stood anxiously watching the lugger, which
seemed to have rapidly increased its distance. "I presume, sir, that we
are all ready for action?"

"Of course we are, Mr Anderson," said the captain stiffly. "We shall
keep on till we are pretty close, then run up into the wind, and you and
Mr Munday will head the boarders. We shall take them so by surprise
that there will be very little resistance. But I see no signs of the
schooner's spars yet."

"No, sir, but we have to make another bend round yet."

"Yes, of course," said the captain, as he swept the river banks with his
night glass.

"The river seems to fork here, though, sir," said the lieutenant
anxiously.

"Humph! Yes; but I suppose it's all right, for the lugger keeps on. We
must be on the correct course if we follow him."

"Beg pardon, sir," said Murray excitedly. "I caught sight of the masts
of a vessel lying yonder."

"Eh? Where, Mr Murray?" said the captain, in a low voice full of
excitement.

"Yonder, sir, about half a mile to starboard, beyond the trees on the
bank."

"To be sure! Tall taper spars. I see, Mr Murray."

"But the sloop is running straight away to port, sir," said the
lieutenant anxiously.

"Well, what of that, Mr Anderson? Did not the American tell you that
we were to follow certain bends of the river?"

"Y