our purpose of course being to compare the
angle then obtained with another to be measured an hour or two later.
If the second angle should prove to be greater than the first, it would
show that we had gained on the chase; if, on the contrary, it should
prove to be less, it would show that the chase had increased her
distance from us. It was shortly before noon when we again brought our
sextants on deck, opinion being meanwhile strongly divided as to whether
or not we were gaining; some asserting positively that we were, while
others as stoutly maintained that we were not. But even our sextants
failed to settle the question, for if there was any difference at all in
the angle, it was too minute for detection, and we were left in almost
the same state of suspense as before. The only relief afforded us was
the assurance that we were practically holding our own with the barque,
and that unless the weather grew still worse than it was, we stood a
fairly good chance of catching her eventually. One thing was certain;
light as our draught of water was, and small as was the schooner's area
of lateral resistance compared with that of the barque, we were slowly
but certainly eating our way out upon her weather quarter, her main and
foremasts having been visible to leeward of her mizenmast when the chase
commenced, while now they just showed clear of each other to windward,
thus conclusively demonstrating that we were gaining the weather-gauge
of her, despite the heavy sea. This was certainly a most comforting
reflection, and greatly helped to console us for the otherwise slow
progress that we were making in the chase. Ryan seemed to be the most
disappointed man among us all; he was very impetuous and hot-headed; he
liked to do everything on the instant and with a rush; and upon the
discovery that we were not gaining perceptibly, he muttered something
about giving the schooner more canvas. Luckily, before giving the order
he paused long enough to allow the fact to be borne in upon him that the
masts were already whipping and bending like fishing-rods, and the gear
taxed to its utmost capacity of resistance; and being, despite the
characteristics above-mentioned, a reasonably prudent and careful
officer, the sight restrained him, and he forbore to attempt anything so
risky as the further over-driving of the already greatly over-driven
craft.

Not so with the skipper of the barque. It was, of course, impossible
for us to kn