Part 22 (1/2)

”He'll find he's caught a Tartar,” said Saltwell; ”but he must be blind not to see by the cut of our canvas what we are, even at this distance.”

”Perhaps, he trusts to a fleet pair of heels, and we shall have him showing them to us before long,” said Linton. ”I do not think there is anything yet to prove that he is not the pirate we are looking for.

That fellow Zappa is a bold and crafty scoundrel, as his late visit to Malta and his successful attack on the Austrian brig sufficiently proves. He may have a mind to engage us, perhaps.”

”You don't know the Greeks, if you think so,” said Saltwell. ”Why, you must have pictured him to yourself like one of the heroes in the romances you are so fond of, who fight alone for love and glory, and whose greatest delight is to lay their s.h.i.+ps alongside an enemy of greater force, in order to prove how superior knaves are to honest men.

Depend upon it, Signor Zappa will keep clear of us, if he can.”

”Well, but what do you say to his attacking an Austrian man-of-war, and capturing her?” urged Linton. ”That looks something like the chivalry of piracy.”

”As to that, in the first place, he discovered, by some means or other, that she had specie on board; and she was also of much less force than his vessel. He carries, it is said, sixteen guns, and she had but eight,” answered Saltwell. ”So he followed her for some time, till he surprised her one dark night, and captured her before her crew had time to go to quarters. It did not say much for Austrian naval discipline, though it was not an enterprise Zappa had any great reason to boast of, either.”

”If the account I heard is true, he acted, however, the part of a magnanimous conqueror; for, after he had rifled the brig, and taken everything he wanted out of her, he allowed her and her officers and crew to go free, without murdering a soul of them, which, at all events, speaks in his favour,” said Linton.

”Well, if that is his vessel, we shall soon know more about him and her,” observed Saltwell. ”We are nearing her fast. I shall go aloft, and try if I can make out what her hull is like.”

They drew nearer and nearer the stranger, who still continued her course to the northward under the same easy sail.

At last, her hull was visible from the deck.

Mr Saltwell had his gla.s.s fixed on her, as had Captain Fleetwood.

”What do you make her out to be, Mr Saltwell?” said the captain.

”She is polacca rigged, with raking masts, and has a long, low, dark hull,” answered the first lieutenant.

”The very description of the _Sea Hawk_,” exclaimed Linton. ”I hope to goodness it may be her.”

”I trust it may,” said Captain Fleetwood, drawing in his breath, and compressing his lips, to conceal his agitation.

The excitement on board now increased, as there appeared a greater probability of the stranger proving to be the pirate.

Anxiously beat the heart of Captain Fleetwood. What might be the consequence, supposing the prisoners were on board, and his Ada among them? Would the pirate hold them as hostages? Zappa, he was aware, well knew, from what he had learned at the ball at Malta, how dear Ada Garden was to him, and what, in consequence, might be the pirate's conduct?

His orders were to burn, sink, or destroy the rover, wherever he should find him; and he resolved to do his duty.

As he walked the deck in silence, he glanced his eye aloft more frequently than usual to see how the sails stood. They were never better set. Every brace and bowline was taut to a nicety. Then he would look over the bulwarks to judge of the rate at which they were slipping through the water, by the appearance of the sparkling bubbles, as they darted off from the side, and circled in eddies under the counter, and many an earnest gaze did he cast at the chase to a.s.sure himself that he was still coming up with her. It is a saying, that when a hare runs, the dogs will follow--it is equally true at sea, even when the order is reversed, if a vessel makes sail in chase, the chase will generally run away. Hitherto the officers of the _Ione_ had found the vessel in sight offering an exception to the rule.

”Let her see our colours, Mr Saltwell. It may induce her to show hers in return.”

The British ensign flew out to the breeze at the peak of the _Ione_; but, for some time, no attention was paid to it by the stranger-- perhaps, it might not have been observed--at all events, no answer was made.

”Ah, the rascal is ashamed of his nation, or is puzzled to know what bunting to show us,” said the master. ”No, by Jove; there flies the new flag of independence, and a pennant to boot. He wishes to make us suppose he is a Greek man-of-war.”

”He may try to do so, but he will not deceive us,” said Linton.

”There's a most piratical cut about the fellow, which is enough to condemn him anywhere.”

”We shall soon get her within range of our long guns, and we shall then see what she is made of,” observed Saltwell, eyeing her. ”Shall we get the gun ready, sir?” he asked of Captain Fleetwood.

”You may, Mr Saltwell; but as long as she does not show any intention of avoiding us, on no account fire,” was the answer.