an.
However, she held this course for only an hour and a half when the
Skipper swung her bow once more to the South.

Long before the morning broke, Tom and Juarez, hauled out of their
resting place, were set to scrubbing the decks and rubbing them down
with holy-stone. They waited eagerly for the first break of day to see
where they were.

Then the light came slowly through the fog-covered sky, showing a glossy
sea with a slight swell and not a sign of land anywhere. The boys'
hearts sank within them and they felt sure that they would not see their
native land again.

Once in a while they would glance up at the Bridge where stood the
Captain with his powerful stooped figure. He was evidently on the
lookout, for with his eye at a long glass, he kept scanning the sky-line
to the east. What was he looking for? Juarez knew instinctively that he
was afraid of pursuit.

If only they could be overtaken and captured, his heart thrilled at the
thought and he watched the Captain eagerly for the first sign of
excitement. About ten o'clock he saw by the Skipper's actions that
something of interest had come under his observation.

There were a number of quick, sharp orders given and Juarez noticed the
increased volume of smoke pouring from the stack. The Sea Eagle began to
show the speed that was in her trim, black form. Juarez worked around
the port side of the boat as rapidly as he dared, and his heart leaped
with hope.

He saw low upon the eastern horizon a smudge of black smoke. If he only
had known what the Skipper knew, his hopes would have risen still
higher. Certain preparations were going on upon deck. The three cannon,
one in the stern, that had fired the salute to the group on the shore,
one on either side of the quarter-deck, were divested of their canvas
jackets.

They certainly gleamed bravely in their polished brass. Then the
ammunition was got ready beside each separate gun. It begin to look like
business. The Sea Eagle began to justify her name and fly through the
water. Still the spot upon the horizon grew bigger.

Then Juarez began to have a paralyzing feeling of doubt. The steamer,
though coming up fast, did not seem to be steering the proper course to
head the Sea Eagle, bearing on her port-quarter instead of across her
bows as would have been the natural course if she wished to intercept
her.

Then the doubt in his mind was changed to disappointed certainty for the
Skipper waved his hand to the ma