the heaving seas or plunged in a white smother of foam.

"She rides well, Mart'n!" roared Godby in my ear. "Aha, here's duck of
a ship, pal!"

"Where's Adam?" I questioned.

"To'-gallant poop, Mart'n. Lord love ye, it's little sleep he's had
since we hove anchor. Hark'ee, pal--he's got it into his head as we'm
being dogged!"

"Dogged, man--by what?"

"By that same great black ship as fouled us--he has so, pal--roast me
else! But come your ways." So saying, Godby climbed to the
quarter-deck and I after him, and mounting the poop-ladder, presently
came on Penfeather, peering hard over our lee.

"Ha, is it you, shipmate!" says he, drawing me out of the wind. "Look
yonder, d'ye see aught of a rag o' sail, Martin?" Following his
pointing finger, I stared away into the distance across a tumbling
spume of waters vague in the half-light. "D'ye glimpse aught, Martin?"

"Nothing, Adam!"

"Wait for the moon, shipmate--now, look yonder!" As the light grew, I
swept the distant horizon with my eyes until, all at once against the
night, I saw the sheen of distant canvas that gleamed and was gone
again as a cloud veiled the moon. "You saw it, Martin?"

"Plainly!" says I, whereupon he sprang away to the men at the helm;
came the hoarse roar of speaking-trumpet, and decks and waist below
seemed alive with scurrying, dim figures; and now was a chorus of
shouts and yo-ho-ing as the "Faithful Friend," obedient to his
commands, swung off upon an altered course.

"Godby," says Adam, beckoning us where stood the compass or bittacle,
"look'ee, as she bears now we should be nigh enough yon curst ship to
learn more of her by peep o' dawn."

"Aye, Cap'n--and then?"

"Then you shall try what you can do wi' one o' those long guns o'
yours."

"Lord love ye, Cap'n, that's the spirit!" cried Godby, hitching
joyously at his broad belt, "All I asks is a fair light and no favour!"

"And you have the middle watch, Godby man, so I'll get a wink o'
sleep," says Adam, "but do you call me so soon as we raise her hull.
As for you, Martin, you'll have slept your fill, I judge."

"And yet I'm plaguy drowsy still!" says I.

"There's a spare berth in the coach, comrade, an you're so minded!"

"Nay, Adam, I'll watch awhile with Godby."

"Good! You've keen eyes, Martin--use 'em!" says he, and goes down the
ladder forthwith.

And now, pacing the lofty poop beside Godby, I was aware that the
"Faithful Friend" was dark fore and aft, n