"This is a very fast boat," said Mr. Talboys. "I should like to try
her speed. What do you say, Miss Fountain?"
"With all my heart," said Lucy, in a tone that expressed her utter
indifference.
"Here is this lateen-rigged boat creeping down on our quarter; we will
stand east till she runs down to us, and then we will run by her and
challenge her." Accordingly Talboys stood east.
But he did not get his race; for, somewhat to his surprise, the
lateen-rigged boat, instead of holding her course, which was about
south-southwest, bore up directly and stood east, keeping about half a
mile to windward of Talboys.
This puzzled Talboys. "They are afraid to try it," said he. "If they
are afraid of us sailing on a wind, they would not have much chance
with us in beating to windward. A lugger can lie two points nearer the
wind than a schooner."
All this science was lost on Lucy. She lay back languid and listless.
Mr. Talboy's crew consisted of a man and a boy. He steered the boat
himself. He ordered them to go about and sail due west. It was no
sooner done than, lo and behold, the schooner came about and sailed
west, keeping always half a mile to windward.
"That boat is following us, Miss Fountain."
"What for?" inquired she; "is it my uncle coming after us?"
"No; I see no one aboard but a couple of fishermen."
"They are not fishermen," put in the boy; "they are
sailors--coastguard men, likely."
"Besides," said Mr. Talboys, "your uncle would run down to us at once,
but these keep waiting on us and dogging us.
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