dipping regularly now as the gig was turned towards
the cutter, aboard which there was an evident change. Her main-sail,
which had been shaking in the breeze, gradually filled; we saw the
stay-sail run up, and the beautiful boat came gliding towards the gig so
as to pick her up with her crew before going in pursuit.

"How quickly she sails!" cried Bigley. "Once they've got their men on
board they'll go like the wind."

"But they haven't got them on board yet," I said, unable in spite of
myself to help feeling a little sympathy for the man who was making such
a bold effort to escape. "Why, they're taking my father prisoner
instead of yours, Bigley. I hope they'll bring him back."

"Look!" cried Bigley; "father's getting up a topsail, and that'll help
them along wonderfully."

"Look!" I cried; "the cutter's close up to the gig now."

"Hurrah!" cried Bigley; "there goes the topsail. Look how tight they've
hauled the sheets, and how the lugger heels over."

"The cutter has the gig alongside," I cried as excitedly, for, though I
did not want old Jonas caught, my father was there.

"Why, they're running out another spar," cried Bigley, "so as to hoist
more sail. Look at the lugger, how she is spinning along!"

"Yes," I said; "but look at the cutter now!"

Bigley drew a long breath as he saw with me that the gig's crew were on
board the cutter, and that the boat was being hoisted up, while, at the
same time, with the speed to be seen on a man-of-war, even if it be so
insignificant a vessel as a revenue cutter, sail was being hoisted, and
she was off full chase.

First we saw the jib-sail run up and fill. Then up went the gaff
topsail, and as it filled the cutter seemed to lie over, so that we
could not see her deck, while the white water foamed away from her bows,
and she left a long streak behind.

She was now well opposite to the Gap, down which the breeze blew
straight. In fact the cutter seemed to have too much sail up, and
rushed through the water at a tremendous rate.

"She'll soon catch the lugger going like that, Big," I said. "Look!
Your father's not going straight away; he's going more off the land."

"Yes, because he knows what he's doing. He wants to get more out so as
to catch the wind. You'll see in a few minutes the cutter won't go half
so fast. Hah! I was afraid of that."

For just then there was a puff of smoke from the cutter, and we could
just make out, by the way it dipped, th