Chapter 25 - Page 2

lost none
of its dogmatism by the critical circumstances in which they were
placed. "Fresh water or salt, that is the head of the _Scud's_
mainsail, for it is cut with a smaller gore than common; and then
you can see that the gaff has been fished -- quite neatly done, I
admit, but fished."

"I can see none of this, I confess," answered Pathfinder, to whom
even the terms of his companion were Greek.

"No! Well, I own that surprises me, for I thought your eyes could
see anything! Now to me nothing is plainer than that gore and
that fish; and I must say, my honest friend, that in your place I
should apprehend that my sight was beginning to fail."

"If Jasper is truly coming, I shall apprehend but little. We can
make good the block against the whole Mingo nation for the next
eight or ten hours; and with Eau-douce to cover the retreat, I shall
despair of nothing. God send that the lad may not run alongside
of the bank, and fall into an ambushment, as befell the Sergeant!"

"Ay, there's the danger. There ought to have been signals concerted,
and an anchorage-ground buoyed out, and even a quarantine station
or a lazaretto would have been useful, could we have made these
Minks-ho respect the laws. If the lad fetches up, as you say,
anywhere in the neighborhood of this island, we may look upon the
cutter as lost. And, after all, Master Pathfinder, ought we not
to set down this same Jasper as a secret ally of the French, rather
than as a friend of our own? I know the Sergeant views the matter
in that light; and I must say this whole affair looks like treason."

"We shall soon know, we shall soon know, Master Cap; for there,
indeed, comes the cutter clear of the other island, and five minutes
must settle the matter. It would be no more than fair, however,
if we could give the boy some sign in the way of warning. It is
not right that he should fall into the trap without a notice that
it has been laid."

Anxiety and suspense, notwithstanding, prevented either from
attempting to make any signal. It was not easy, truly, to see how
it could be done; for the _Scud_ came foaming through the channel,
on the weather side of the island, at a rate that scarcely admitted
of the necessary time. Nor was any one visible on her deck to make
signs to; even her helm seemed deserted, though her course was as
steady as her progress was rapid.

Cap stood in silent admiration of a spectacle so unusual. But,
as the _Scud_ drew nearer, his practised eye detected the helm in
play by means of tiller-ropes, though the person who steered was
concealed. As the cutter had weatherboards of some little height,
the mystery was explained, no doubt