Somers?" questioned
young Benson.
"I can't say, sir," Eph replied. "I didn't see her, at Cobtown, under
sail. I shall have to wait until I can make out the hull, sir, before
I can make even a good guess."
Smoke was pouring heavily from the "Sudbury's" two funnels by this time,
for the gunboat was being pushed, under forced draught, to considerably
better than twenty knots an hour. The schooner apparently was making
between seven and eight knots an hour.
In a few minutes more the hull of the stranger began to show. Eph,
with a pair of marine glasses to his eyes, studied the stranger long
and carefully. Lieutenant Benson, knowing it would be folly to hasten
his comrade's judgment, waited in silent patience.
"That craft looks very much like the 'Juanita,' sir," ventured Eph, at
last. "In fact, sir, I think that's our schooner."
"Steer up to windward of her, then, Mr. Somers," Jack directed. "Mr.
Fullerton, give orders to have the port bow gun manned. When the order
is given, be prepared to fire a blank shot toward the schooner. If,
after one minute, the schooner shows no signs of heaving to, then fire
a solid shot across her bows.
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