University of Virginia Library

24. CHAPTER XXIV.

The ship which had been discovered ahead
of the cutter now came near, and the captain
of the latter, seizing his trumpet, sprang into
the rigging and hailed.

`Ship ahoy!'

`Aye, aye,' responded from the deck, in a
clear, hearty tone.

`Have you seen any thing of a small
schooner—a fishing shallop, going seaward?'

`Not two miles astern. She passed us
near the Graves, under press of sail, steering
North East.'

`Thank you, thank you,' answered the
captain—and the next moment the ship and
cutter were separated by a wide distance.—
`Now, gentlemen, I think we are on the track
of the fugitives. What do you say?'

`There is no question of it,' answered the
marshal, with animation.

All was now excitement on board the cutter,
and nearly every body was on the watch,
in order to get sight of the shallop, which, all
were satisfied, could not be far ahead—at the
least, not more than half a league.

Soon after speaking the ship, the cutter
bore up and stretched away towards the East
and North, and soon afterwards the roar of
the breakers upon the Graves, a ledge of
rocks forming the outmost boundary of Boston
harbor, distinctly reached their ears.

`How far can you see a vessel in the
night?' asked the marshal of the captain, as
the open sea lay before them, and its waves
began to rock the cutter.

`About a mile, with the glass, such a clear
night as this; but so small an object as this
shallop is likely to be, will hardly be made
out till we are within half a mile of her. If
she steers for the Provinces, she will lay her
course about E. N. E., and I shall now keep
away a little, to make as much easting as she
is likely to do. In another hour we shall be
likely to see something of her. Keep your
eyes open men, there aloft, and on the bows.'

The cutter now went dashing on at a fleet
pace, like a high mettled courser, inspired by
the chase, and the hopes of the pursuers were
raised to the highest expectations. The collector
was the only one who seemed to want
faith.

`We may be pursuing a phantom, or about
to frighten some honest fisherman,' he said,
as he walked up and down the deck. `I do
not think there is proof enough to show that
Colonel Ogilvie is in the shallop which passed
the ship we spoke. No one saw the faces,
or persons even, of those who left the coach
and their saddles, and embarked.'

`But I have curiosity,' said the marshal,
`to know who did embark in such hot haste.
If not Colonel Ogilvie and his friends, it was
no doubt some other criminal, whom it becomes
me to overtake and arrest. But for
my part, I am satisfied that our prisoner is in
the shallop.'

`And if he is taken?' remarked the collector.

`If he is taken he will be hanged, as condemned
to be. We can't do any thing worse
to him.'

`Do you really believe, Mr. Marshal, that
he intended to rob the mail? a man of his
wealth and position in society?'

`It does not seem plausible; still, as it was
proved that he did cut open the bags, and
take out a package, and also wounded the
driver to the death, his sentence is a just one.'

`It is a great pity, for I knew and esteemed
him. He seemed to me to be the very
soul of honor. Had I my wish, I tell you
bluntly I would rather, now he is well off,
that he would escape than be hanged. He
has a son in the navy whom it would disgrace
were his father to be hanged.'

`A son in the navy? Yes, I recollect,
now, hearing of him. Where is he?'

`I saw him not ten days ago, in State
street.'

`Then I see who is at the bottom of this
escape!' cried the marshal. `And this accounts
for the flight by water. If we do not
find his son in command of the shallop, then
I will let the prisoner go scott free, should
we take them. What do you see, sir?' asked
the marshal, eagerly, of the captain, who was
looking with unusual earnestness through his
glass, at some object about four points off the
larboard bow, to windward.

`I think I have him now,' murmured the
captain. `Look this way, quarter-master,
and see what your glass makes out.'

`It is a small schooner, sir, without doubt.
But it is too far in shore for the chase,' answered
the quarter-master.

`She may be making for Cape Ann first—
and, in that case, this is just where we should
look for her,' responded the captain. `Luff
a little, and haul aft the fore and main sheets
there, Mr. Waldron,' he called to his lieutenant.
`Pull or two to the topsail braces.
That will do. We must lay dead to windward,
to cut her off. Now, my fine fellow,'
added the captain, as he saw his vessel bounding
away to windward, and tossing the spray
over her deck like snow, `we shall soon make
out your metal.'

`She is luffing, too, sir,' quickly cried the
quarter-master. `She discovers that we pursue
her.'

`This looks like guilt, Mr. Collector,' remarked
the chief of Police, rubbing his hands
at the prospect of soon grasping his prey.

`Yes, he is braced up and standing as
close into the wind's eye as he can put his
beak. But we'll be sure to overhaul him, or
bring him to with a shot.'

`Why, is he likely to escape us?' asked
the marshal, earnestly.

`Not he! But it is a hard chase, dead to
windward—and the shallop will, no doubt,
lay a point nigher the wind than we can,
he is so much lighter and smaller. This will
give him a great advantage. But I can
bring him to his bearings with a six pound
shot.'

`I see her now, distinctly, with the naked
eye,' said the collector. `It is plainly a
small two-masted vessel.'

`Had you not better get a gun ready, captain?'
This inquiry was made by the chief
of police, whose excitement seemed each
moment to increase, and who appeared to be
very solicitous lest the shallop should, in
some mysterious way, give them the slip.

`Mr. Waldron, have the larboard bow gun
ready to be fired.'

`Shall I shot it, sir?'

`No, not the first time. But I fancy one
gun will be sufficient for him. Stand ready
to fire at the order.'

`Aye, aye, sir!' answered the lieutenant,
going forward to get the gun in readiness to
be discharged.

We will now return to the shallop. Gordon,
who had been sometime at the helm,
was just about to resign it to Hugh, the rest
of the party being reposing about the deck,
asleep—Jennette with her head upon her
father's arm, when, as he cast his eyes astern
to leward, he discovered a sail.

`It would be strange enough, Hugh, if we
were pursued,' he said, in the tone of one
who felt no apprehension upon the subject.

`Let me see what this is. Keep the helm
till I look through my glass. We have not
seen her before, and she has gained on us,
whether in chase or not. I have little fear
of pursuit—still, one can't be too cautious.'

With these words he went below, and returned
with his spy-glass, which he levelled
at the strange sail. After examining it a moment,
he exclaimed with surprise and alarm,

`It is a Revenue Cutter!'

`A Cutter? Then she is out after us!'

`There is no doubt of it. I saw the cutter
at anchor off the town as we run out;—
and, be assured, she has been got under
weigh and sent in chase of us!'

This expression of his opinion roused the
colonel from the sleep into which he had fallen
under his sense of security, and also started
the captain and his daughter from their
repose.

`Chased, do you say?' exclaimed all three
in a breath, as they gathered around Hugh.

`I cannot say,' answered Gordon, `but it
is a revenue cutter, or small armed schooner.'

`Is there danger, Gordon?' whispered
Jennette, laying her hand upon her lover's
arm.

`Do not fear—I will protect you with my
life. It may not be any one in pursuit, after
all. She steers too far east for us.'

`She is luffing, and stands this way,' exclaimed
Hugh. `There is now no further
doubt of her intentions. She has discovered
us, and is beating to windward, after us!'

`This is bad news, sir,' said captain Alison
to colonel Ogilvie. `I had hoped you
were out of danger.'

`We must do our best,' cried Hugh, with
energy. `We are right opposite Salem, and
can run for the shore. It is our only course.
In some of the creeks in the main, we can secrete
ourselves till it will be safe to put to sea
again. Haul aft the fore and main sheets—
we must hug the wind as closely as possible.'

As he spoke, he brought the shallop up into
the wind, and directed her course for the
nearest land which the direction of the wind
would enable him to reach. There was not
a word spoken for some time. Every eye
was bent upon the schooner, which could be
distinctly made out, less than a mile to leeward.

`We have the advantage of her in being to
windward,' said Gordon.

`Yes, unless she fires.'

`And till she fires,' said Captain Alison,
`I can hardly believe she is in chase of us,—
It seems almost incredible that we should
have been followed so promptly, and our
track dogged so certainly.'

Scarcely had he spoken, ere the sea, in the
direction of the schooner, was lighted up by
a bright flash, and, the next instant, an instant
of painful suspense to all on board the
shallop, the dull, booming sound of a gun fell
upon their ears.

`There is no mistaking her character and
business now,' said the colonel. `I am sorry
that my fate involves yours, my friends. You
had best heave to at once, and let me be given
up, rather than incur the danger to which
you are exposed by this firing.'

`No, no, father—we can save you,' cried
Hugh.

`We willingly share your peril, sir,' said
Gordon. `And Jennette—'

`And do not think of me. I am as ready
as any of you to incur peril,' she answered,
firmly, `so that we can save Colonel Ogilvie.'

`And if we give you up, sir, it will be giving
ourselves up too, colonel, as abettors in
your escape. Our safety is bound up with
your own—and we shall yet escape her. The
little shallop is fairly flying.'

`If they do not load with shot, I shall not
care how long they fire,' said Captain Alison.
`But the next will be shotted.'

`And there it is,' cried Hugh and Gordon,
in the same breath.

A second bright flash from the schooner,
which revealed to them her elegant proportions
with the vividness of noon-day, flashed
upon their eyes, and then a sharp, dashing
noise in the water, just astern of them,
showed that ball had been fired. The splash
of the shot was followed by the deep voice of
the cannon.

`That was shotted,' said Hugh, in a low
tone. `Lie close to the deck, every one of
you. It will be a good gunner that hits us,
but it is best you should all be unexposed as
much as possible.'

The shallop now went bounding on, as if
inspired by fear. Anxiously did Gordon and
his friend watch the dark line of coast towards
which they were stretching. Two lighthouses,
near each other, showed them the
headlands of the port of Salem, but at least a
league and a half distant.

`We gain on the land fast,' said Gordon.—
`Each moment the outline becomes more and
more distinct. If,' he added, in an under
tone, `if a shot does not strike us and disable
us, we shall reach the shore in half an hour.'

`Heaven grant it! Before my father shall
be re-taken, I will sink the shallop! At least
if this young girl and the rest were not on
board. But my father must not be re-taken,
Gordon!'

`No. There comes another shot. This
was a closer one. If they improve this way
they will hit us. Have you a small boat?'

`Yes—there it is, midships. It will hold
us all, if we have to take to it at last.'

`Which we must do, if they hit us.'

Hardly were the words out of his mouth,
when a flash and report were followed by a
terrific crashing through the shallop, forward.

`The shot has struck us, and we are sinking!'
said the old seaman, running aft.