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I am an old man, and my reckoning has got to the last leaf of the log-book; therefore it is little interest that I have, or can have, in this brig or that schooner, but this much will I say, which is, that it is just as wicked, and as little likely to be forgiven, to speak scandal of a wholesome and stout ship, as it is to talk amiss of mortal Christian."
Brown, while bargaining, had a sort of grim enjoyment in thinking of his wretched schooner, with nothing but a heap of dirt in her hold, that stood for an armed ship, and a Chinaman and a lame ex-beachcomber of Levuka on board, who represented all his many men.
Wilbur put both hands to his temples, closing his eyes. "I'll go back!" exclaimed Hodgson. "We'll have the surf-boat out and get after her; we'll bring the body back!" "No, no!" cried Wilbur, "it's better this way. Leave her, let her go she's going out to sea again!" "But the schooner won't live two hours outside in this weather; she'll go down!" "It's better that way let her go. I want it so!"
On working up to the port on the 8th, I was surprised to find General San Martin still afloat in his schooner, though the liberating army was now entering the city in a body, and the occupation was complete; General San Martin remained on board till the evening of the 10th, when he privately landed.
"Or a snug ship of three hundred, if lined with gold, might do." "He look berry like a t'ree hundred." "To me it seems a brig." "I t'ink him brig too, masser." "Or possibly, after all, the stranger may prove a schooner, with many lofty and light sails." "A schooner often carry a royal," returned the black, resolute to acquiesce in all the other said. "Who knows it is a sail at all! Forward there!
The stranger, a schooner, had been lying-to when first descried in the hazy weather; but was standing now to intercept us. At two miles' distance it being then about two o'clock I saw that she hoisted British colours. "But that flag was never sewn in England," Captain Colenso observed, studying her through his glass.
We have now done nearly all that we can do to the schooner whilst she remains on the stocks, and our next job will be to lay down the ways and "
"Perhaps he is," thought the captain, but he did not speak this thought aloud. The next day the work of loading the Arato with the bags of gold was begun, and it was a much slower and more difficult business than the unloading of the Miranda, for the schooner lay much farther out from the beach. But there were two men more than on the former occasion, and the captain did not push the work.
She also continued to fire, but as to do so with effect she had to yaw each time, the schooner, which could fire her stern guns as fast as she could load them, had a considerable advantage. It was a game at long bowls, for the two vessels were already so far apart that it required very good gunnery to send a shot with anything like a correct aim.
The distance between the shore and the schooner being very short, the boat was quickly alongside, and the party under stout Ole Thorwald took possession of their prize. Meanwhile Gascoyne had set the jib and fore-topsail, which latter had been left hanging loose from the yard, so that by hauling out the sheets slowly and with great care, the thing was done without noise.
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