As the "Sudbury" turned out into the open sea that little gunboat was in instant communication with Washington, and also with any wireless equipped ocean traveler up to nearly half way across the great Atlantic.
At three o"clock the Navy Department at Washington reported to a gunboat out of sight of land that the last sighting of the supposed "Juanita"
placed her on the same course as. .h.i.therto reported.
At four o"clock came word that the Navy Department had had no new report as to the schooner by wireless.
At five o"clock another wireless despatch was flashed through the air.
Lieutenant Jack Benson, reading, discovered that the "Juanita" had again been sighted on the same course, headed for some port in the British West Indies.
At 5:20 Ensign Eph Somers, port watch officer of the "Sudbury," sent a marine orderly to report to Lieutenant Benson that a schooner"s topmasts were within sight.
Benson hurried to the bridge, but found Ensign Fullerton there just ahead of him.
"We"ll shape our course in straight pursuit of the schooner, Mr.
Fullerton," decided Lieutenant Jack.
"Very good, sir."
As yet the schooner"s topmasts were visible only from the military top.
After a few minutes had pa.s.sed, however, the vessel"s masts were visible from the bridge.
"Does her rig look like that of the "Juanita," Mr. 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 gla.s.ses 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."
"Very good, sir."
Without leaving the bridge Ensign Fullerton pa.s.sed the word for the manning of the gun and loading with a blank cartridge.
There was a new, deeper glow in Eph Somers"s eyes as he paced the bridge. He was to have, at last, his wish to see the "Sudbury" fire a shot.
In a few minutes more the "Sudbury" was ranging tip alongside the schooner, though a full quarter of a mile away to windward.
"Mr. Fullerton, fire the blank shot at the stranger," ordered Lieutenant Jack Benson.
"Aye, aye, sir."
The order was carried by a simple wave of the executive officer"s hand.
The petty officer in command behind the bow gun, looking for the signal, saw it and gave a low-toned order.
_Bang!_ Eph was watching for it. His eyes danced as he heard the sharp explosion and saw the cloud of white smoke, with the tongue of fire spitting through the center of it. In most of us there is left some of the spirit of the old Norse pirate; Eph had a lot of it.
"The people on the schooner act as though they were bewildered," smiled Jack, watching the schooner through his gla.s.s. "It doesn"t look as though they expected any such order from us. I wonder if they mean to obey?"
"Worse for them, if they don"t," replied Ensign Fullerton, grimly. "A solid shot across the bows, and a shot through their rigging after that.
What schooner has any chance to defy a ship of war?"
"There they go around," cried Jack, barely above his breath, "They"ll heave to."
"Of course," smiled Fullerton. "Your orders, sir?"
"Lower the power launch. Send a corporal and four marines, and six sailors, armed, beside the boat-handlers. Mr. Somers will take command, as he"s the only one of us who knows the fellow Gray by sight."
Ensign Fullerton accordingly transmitted the orders, also ordering Midshipman Drake up to the bridge to serve as watch officer in Eph"s absence. Hal Hastings was asleep in his cabin at the time.
In the meantime the schooner continued "hove to," several men lining her starboard rail.
"Somehow, Mr. Fullerton," muttered Lieutenant Jack, after Eph had departed in the power launch with his boarding crew, "I"m not much inclined to think that"s our schooner."
"Somers seemed to think so."
"Mr. Somers said it looked like the "Juanita." He"s too careful to commit himself to more than that."
"We shall soon know, sir, anyway."
It is probable that Eph was disappointed that the schooner had been stopped by anything less than a round shot through her rigging. Yet, as he stood up in the stern of the launch, as it bounded over the waves, he felt a heap of satisfaction in the thought that he commanded the searching party, and that he did so by virtue of being an officer in the United States Navy. And this, too, was a form of duty in which Ensign Somers wore his sword at his side.
"I hope they"re preparing a surprise for us," chuckled Eph, as he looked about him at his armed crew. "I hope the schooner"s people will try some mean trick for us, or attempt to put up a fight. Whee!"
Yet none of these aggressive thoughts showed in the young Ensign"s face.
Eph knew his place, usually, and the amount of dignity that went with any place.
"Make fast alongside!" Eph sang out, as the launch rounded in alongside the schooner.
"What"s wrong with the United States Navy, Midshipman?" came the jovial question from a bronzed, broad-shouldered, bearded man of fifty who appeared at the quarter rail, offering Eph a hand to aid him on board.
But Eph, disdaining the proffered hand, seized the rail, vaulting neatly on board. Then he straightened up.
"I am Ensign Somers, from the gunboat "Sudbury.""
"Ensign, eh?" muttered the schooner"s master, looking in some bewilderment at Eph"s boyish face. "I beg your pardon, Mr. Somers."
"What craft is this, sir?" Eph continued.
"Schooner "Varia," from New York, bound for Jamaica."
"We saw "Varia" painted on your stern, of course," smiled Eph. "But was that name painted there during the night?"
"Sir?" demanded the skipper, in some astonishment. "Oh, I see, Ensign.
Your commander thinks we may be sailing under false colors. Will you be kind enough to step down into my cabin?"