constrained her to lay to.

Presently a boat, manned by two officers and ten sailors, put off from
the cruiser and rowed towards the _Ebba_. When they were only about
half a cable's length off, one of the men rose and waved a flag.

"That's a signal to stop," said Engineer Serko.

"Precisely," remarked the Count d'Artigas.

"We shall have to lay to."

"Then lay to."

Captain Spade went forward and gave the necessary orders, and in a few
minutes the vessel slackened speed, and was soon merely drifting with
the tide.

The _Falcon's_ boat pulled alongside, and a man in the bows held on to
her with a boat-hook. The gangway was lowered by a couple of hands on
the schooner, and the two officers, followed by eight of their men,
climbed on deck.

They found the crew of the _Ebba_ drawn up in line on the forecastle.

The officer in command of the boarding-party--a first
lieutenant--advanced towards the owner of the schooner, and the
following questions and answers were exchanged:

"This schooner belongs to the Count d'Artigas, to whom, I presume, I