We should be seven or
eight miles astern of her, and he might think that we should not
venture to board her there."
"I don't think that he would rely on that, Hawkins. Now that he
knows who we are, he will guess that we shall stick at nothing.
What I am afraid of is that he will lower a boat and row Miss
Greendale and her maid ashore. He might do it either there, or,
what would be much more likely, row ashore to some quiet place
during the night, take his friend and two or three of his men with
him, and leave the rest to sail her to Port au Prince."
"I don't think that the wind is going to hold," the skipper said,
looking astern. "I reckon that it will drop, as it generally does,
at sunset. It is not blowing so hard now as it did just before we
wore round."
In half an hour, indeed, it fell so light that the Osprey was
standing through the water only at three and a half knots an hour.
The light wind suited the Phantom, with her great sail spread. She
had now increased her lead to a mile and a half, and was evidently
leaving them fast.
"There is only one thing to be done, George. We must board them in
boats."
"I am ready, Major; but it will be a rather risky business.
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