"Where, away?" cried Bill, springing to the tiller; while the men,
startled by the sudden cry jumped up and gazed round the horizon.

"On the starboard quarter, hull down, sir," answered the look-out.

At this moment the captain came on deck, and mounting into the
rigging, surveyed the sail through the glass. Then sweeping his
eye round the horizon he gazed steadily at a particular point.

"Take in top-sails," shouted the captain, swinging himself down on
the deck by the main-back stay.

"Take in top-sails," roared the first mate.

"Ay, ay, sir-r-r," answered the men as they sprang into the rigging
and went aloft like cats.

Instantly all was bustle on board the hitherto quiet schooner. The
top-sails were taken in and stowed, the men stood by the sheets and
halyards, and the captain gazed anxiously at the breeze which was
now rushing towards us like a sheet of dark blue. In a few seconds
it struck us. The schooner trembled as if in surprise at the
sudden onset, while she fell away, then bending gracefully to the
wind, as though in acknowledgment of her subjection, she cut
through the waves with her sharp prow like a dolphin, while Bill
directed her course towards the strange sail.

In half an hour we neared her sufficiently to make out that she was
a schooner, and, from the clumsy appearance of her masts and sails
we judged her to be a trader. She evidently did not like our