"His dark spirit is there," said I, audibly, "and calls me--go I will,
whatever may befall."
I hailed the schooner, or rather I had only to speak, and that in a low
tone, for she was now close under the counter "Send your boat, for since
you call, I know I must come."
A small canoe slid off her deck; two ship boys got into it, and pulled
under the starboard mizzen--chains, which entirely concealed them, as
they held on for a moment with a boat--hook in the dark shadow of the
ship. This was done so silently, that neither the lookout on the poop,
who was rather on the weather--side at the moment, nor the man at the lee
gangway, who happened to be looking out forward, heard them, or saw me,
as I slipped down unperceived.
"Pull back again, my lads; quick now, quick."
In a moment, I was along--side, the next I was on deck, and in this short
space a change had come over the spirit of my dream, for I now was again
conscious that I was on board the Wave with a prize crew. My imagination
had taken another direction.
"Now Mr----, I beg pardon, I forget your name,"--I had never heard it,
"make more sail, and haul out from the fleet for Mancheoneal Bay; I have
despatches for the admiral--So, crack on."
The midshipman who was in charge of her never for an instant doubted but
that all was right; sail was made, and as the light breeze was the very
thing for the little Wave, she began to snorer through it like smoke.
Pages:
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336