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I have not looked astern for some time," replied Christy, rather startled by the information. "The Bellevite is not sailing as fast as she has some of the time, and both the Belle and the Dauphine are nearer to us than she is," added Captain Pecklar. "I have been trying to get up more steam." "If my father only knew that I was on board this tug, I should feel more hope," said Christy.
For the last link which tied them to the shore, seemed to him to be broken, when the "Flash's" engines were stopped for the pilot to go down into his boat, which dropped astern into the darkness directly the gong sounded for the engines to go on ahead: and away she raced, once more, through the black darkness, with nothing to guide her upon her journey through the pathless sea, except a little flickering quivering needle the sailor's companion the great world round the friend which always, no matter where they may be, points with its tiny finger constantly to the north.
The boat was towing astern, and the five seamen, seeing that the Venus was now in the absolute possession of the mutineers, and that Kelly would not hesitate to shoot them if they disobeyed him, went into the boat quietly. News of the mutiny was at once sent to Lieutenant-Governor Paterson. But the mutineers were not heard of for a long time.
Lieutenant Pellowe had been already directed to drop the best bower-anchor, as a means of getting the ships apart; and by the time half the prisoners had been removed, the prize separated, and fell astern. The crew fought with a steadiness and gallantry above all praise. A lad, who had served in the Winchelsea as barber's boy, was made second captain of one of the main-deck guns.
They can help Haldane in holding up that poor chap astern and also bear a hand in hoisting up." "All right, sir; we're just ready," shouted back the first mate as he gave the word to let go. "Lower away there with the slack of those falls. Easy, my man, gently does it!"
Turning quickly round, we saw the flukes of an enormous whale sweeping through the air not more than six hundred yards astern of us. "Down your helm," roared the captain; "haul up the mainsail, and square the yards. Call all hands." "All hands, ahoy!" roared Bill Blunt, in a voice of thunder, and in another moment every man in the ship was on deck. "Hoist and swing the boats," cried the captain.
"The plan is clever enough," replied Robin, who was free from all mock-modesty, "But you heard what that old Van Dunck said. I wish he had not said it." "Ten tousan' tuyfels as the stingy old thief himself says he might have held his infernal croak. I hate to make sail with a croak astern; 'tis as bad as a crow on forestay-sail."
Night, therefore, was falling as Johnstone came near them; the Isis and Monmouth were two or three miles astern; the sea was increasing; if he got much further to leeward, he could not get back; he had forgotten to appoint a rendezvous where the convoy might rejoin; a night action, he considered, was not to be thought of. Yet, if he let the enemy go, they might anticipate him at the Cape.
The "Empire State" emerged from the fog and left it, a rosy cloud, astern. The chasing waves sparkled and danced for joy. The sun was up, fresh and unstained as yesterday. Night, that had changed so much, had left the sun undimmed. With the same power and brightness as for innumerable past centuries, his glorious glance colored the gray sky blue.
Astern of the boat the repeated call of some bird, a cry discordant and feeble, skipped along over the smooth water and lost itself, before it could reach the other shore, in the breathless silence of the world. The steersman dug his paddle into the stream, and held hard with stiffened arms, his body thrown forward.
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