t for? It'll help 'em to
foller us, and lose us all the benefit o' the dark."

"No, it won't," growled the captain. "You wait and see. I've sighted one
more light, off there ahead of us, and I'm going to make it do something
for the _Goshhawk_. Those other chaps can't see it yet."

"What in all the world can he be up to?" thought Ned, as he listened,
but the cunning skipper of the bark had all his wits about him.

The lookouts of the men-of-war had indeed been taking note thus far of
only their own lanterns and the glimmer on their intended prize. They
may even have wondered, as did her own mate, why she should aid them in
keeping track of her. At all events, they had little doubt of having her
under their guns before morning. Senor Zuroaga himself sat curled up
under his waterproof well aft, and now and then he appeared to be
chuckling, as if he knew something which amused him. Half an hour later,
when all the lights of the _Goshhawk_ suddenly went out, he actually
broke into a ringing laugh. Her course was changed to almost due north
at that very moment. This would bring her across the track of the
_Portsmouth_ and within a mile of that dangerous cruiser's bow guns.
They might not be quite so dangerous, however, if her gunners should be
unable to see a mark at that distance through the mist. The fifth light,
dead ahead, now became itself only the fourth, and it was immediately
the sole attraction for the watchers in the rigging of the several war
police-boats. This stranger was going westwardly, at a fair rate of
speed, and its light was exceptionally brilliant. In fact, it grew more
and more so during an anxious thirty minutes that followed, but it was
the French corvette which first came within hailing distance, to receive
an answer in angry Portuguese, which the French officers could not make
head or tail of. Even after receiving further communications in broken
Portuguese-Spanish, all they could do was to compel the Brazilian
schooner, _Gonzaga_, laden with honest coffee from Rio for New Orleans,
to heave to as best she might until the next arrival came within hail.
This proved to be the British frigate, and her disappointed captain at
once pretty sharply explained to the Frenchmen the difference between a
two-master from Rio and a British-Yankee runaway bark from nobody knew
where. Then came sweeping along the gallant _Portsmouth_, and there was
need for additional conversation all around. Some of it was of an