All the glasses on board were immediately directed to the two vessels.
Christy could plainly make out the steamer that had the lead. She was a
piratical-looking craft, setting very low in the water, with two smoke
stacks, both raking at the same angle as her two masts. The wind was
not fair, and she could not carry sail; but the "bone in her teeth"
indicated that she was going through the water at great speed.
"A gun from the chaser, sir!" shouted the man aloft.
The cloud of smoke was seen, and the report of the gun reached the ears
of all on board the St. Regis.
"There is no mistaking what all that means, Mr. Baskirk," said Christy
when he had taken in the situation.
At the first announcement of the sail ahead, the commander had ordered
the chief engineer to get all the speed he could out of the ship. The
smoke was pouring out of the smoke stacks, for the St. Regis had two,
and presently she indicated what was going on in the fire room by
beginning to shake a little.
"Another sail dead ahead, sir!" called the man on the fore cross trees.
The glasses were directed to the third sail, and she proved to be a
steamer, also pursuing the one first seen. It was soon evident to the
observers that the blockade-runner, for the man aloft who had so defined
her was entirely correct, was gaining all the time on her pursuers.
Pages:
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243