n entirely engrossed by what was taking place
immediately around us, we could not have failed to have seen her sooner,
as she must have been in sight a considerable time.

"They have already seen her on board," said Morton, "and that accounts
for their great hurry in getting up anchor; they don't feel like being
neighbourly just now, with strange vessels."

In fact, there was every indication on board of our own ship, of haste,
and eagerness to be gone. While some of the men were at the capstan,
getting up the anchor, others were busy in the rigging, and sail after
sail was rapidly spread to the breeze, so that by the time the anchor
was at the bows, the ship began to move slowly through the water.

"They don't seem to consider us of much account anyway," said Max, "they
are going without so much as saying good-bye."

"They may know more of the stranger than we do," said Arthur, "they have
glasses on board; if she should be an American man-of-war, their hurry
is easily explained."

"I can't help believing that they see or suspect more, in regard to her,
than appears to us," said Morton, "or they would not fail to make an
attempt to recover the yawl."

"It is rapidly getting dark," said Arthur, "and I think we had better
put up the sail, and steer for the stranger."

"Right," said Morton, "for she may possibly tack before she sees us."

Morton and myself proceeded to step the mast, and rig the sail;
meantime, Arthur got Browne's coat off, and examined and bandaged the
wound on his arm, which had been bleeding all the while profusely; he
pronounced it to be but a trifling hurt. A breeze from the south-east
had sprung up at sunset, and we now had a free wind to fill our sail, as
we steered directly out to sea to meet the stranger, which was still at
too great a distance to make it probable that we had been seen by her
people.

It was with a feeling of anxiety and uneasiness, that I saw the faint
twilight fading away, with the suddenness usual in those latitudes, and
the darkness gathering rapidly round us. Already the east was wrapped
in gloom, and only a faint streak of light along the western horizon
marked the spot where the sun had so recently disappeared.

"How suddenly the night has come upon us," said Arthur, who had been
peering through the dusk toward the approaching vessel, in anxious
silence; "O, for twenty minutes more of daylight! I fear that she is
about tacking."

This announcement filled us