"
It was done, and the ship immediately bore up on her course again; we
now ranged alongside of him on his larboard quarter.
"Ho, the ship, ahoy!"--"Hillo!" was the reply. "Make more sail, sir,
and run into the body of the fleet, or I shall fire into you: why don't
you, sir, keep in the wake of the commodore?" No answer. "What meant
you by hauling your wind just now, sir?"
"Yesh, yesh," at length responded a voice from the merchantman.
"Something wrong here," said Mr. Splinter. "Back your maintopsail,
sir, and hoist a light at the peak; I shall send a boat on board of
you. Boatswain's mate, pipe away the crew of the jolly-boat." We also
hove to, and were in the act of lowering down the boat, when the
officer rattled out--"Keep all fast with the boat; I can't comprehend
that chap's manoeuvres for the soul of me. He has not hove to." Once
more we were within pistol-shot of him. "Why don't you heave to, sir?"
All silent.
Presently we could perceive a confusion and noise of struggling on
board, and angry voices, as if people were trying to force their way up
the hatches from below; and a heavy thumping on the deck, and a
creaking of the blocks, and rattling of the cordage, while the mainyard
was first braced one way, and then another, as if two parties were
striving for the mastery.
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