A Middy in Command | Page 2

they are
more commonly called. I had reached the cross-trees, on my way down,
when Captain Bentinck again hailed me.
"Aloft there! just stay where you are for a little while, Mr Grenvile, and
keep your eye on those sail to leeward. And if you observe any
alteration in the course that they are steering, report the fact to me at
once."
"Ay, ay, sir!" I answered, and settled myself down comfortably for
what I anticipated might be a fairly long wait.
For a few minutes all was now bustle and confusion below and about
me; the helm was put up and the ship wore short round, the yards were
swung, and then several hands came aloft to reeve the gear, rig out the
booms, and set the larboard studding-sails, from the royals down. We

rather prided ourselves upon being a smart ship, and in less than five
minutes from the moment the order was given we were sliding away
upon our new course, at a speed of some five and a half knots, with all
our studding- sails set on the port side, and all ropes neatly coiled down
once more. But ere this had happened I had returned to my former post
on the main- royal-yard, for I quickly discovered that the shift of helm
had caused the head-sails to interpose themselves between me and the
objects which it was my duty to watch, and this was to be remedied
only by returning to the royal-mast-head.
The skipper, in setting the new course, had displayed what commended
itself to me as sound judgment. We were at such a distance from the
strangers of whom we were now in chase that even our most lofty
canvas was--and would, for some little time longer, remain--invisible
from their decks. This was highly desirable, since the nearer we could
approach them without being discovered, the better would be our
chance of ultimately getting alongside them. The only likelihood of a
premature discovery of our proximity lay in the possible necessity, on
the part of one or the other of them, to send a hand aloft; but this we
could not guard against. Captain Bentinck, therefore, hoping that no
such necessity would arise, had shaped a course not directly for them,
but at an intercepting angle to their own course, by which means he
hoped not only to hold way with them, but also to lessen very
considerably the distance between them and ourselves before the sight
of our canvas, rising above the horizon, would reveal our unwelcome
presence to the two slavers, as we believed the strange craft to be. It
was also of the utmost importance that we should have instant
knowledge of their discovery of our presence in their neighbourhood,
and of the action that they would thereupon take; hence the necessity
for my remaining aloft to maintain a steady and careful watch upon
their movements.
I had been anticipating--and, indeed, hoping--that my sojourn aloft
would be a lengthy one, for I knew that, so long as the strangers
continued to steer their original course, it would mean that they
remained in ignorance of our proximity to them. But this was not to be,
for I had but regained my original position on the royal-yard some ten

minutes, when, as I kept the telescope steadily fixed upon them, I saw
the brig bear up and run off square before the wind. The schooner
promptly followed her example, and both of them immediately
proceeded to rig out studding-sail booms on both sides.
"Deck ahoy!" hailed I. "The two strange sail to leeward have this
instant put up their helms, and are running square off before the wind;
they are also rigging out their studding-sail booms on both sides."
"Thank you, Mr Grenvile," replied the skipper. "How do they bear from
us now?"
"About four points before the beam, sir," answered I.
"Very good. Stay where you are a minute or two longer, for I am about
to bear up in chase, and I want you to tell me when they are directly
ahead of us," ordered the skipper.
"Ay, ay, sir!" shouted I, giving the stereotyped answer to every order
issued on board ship; and the next instant all was bustle and activity
below me, as the helm was put up and preparations were made to set
our studding-sails on the starboard side. As I glanced down on deck I
saw the captain step to the binnacle, apparently watching the motion of
the compass-card as the ship paid off, so I at once directed my gaze
toward the strangers, and the moment they were brought in line with
the fore- royal-mast-head I sang out:
"Steady as you go, sir; the strangers are now dead ahead of us!"
"Thank you, Mr Grenvile; you may