The castaways saw the shot splash, and then with a whirr it ricochetted over their heads and plunged into the sea beyond them. "Good shootin', and that ain't no josh!" commented Bill Benson. "You're shore right, son," agreed Broncho. "That shot comes plenty close. This here Dago Charlie slings his scrap-iron too free an' easy: an' though we disdains these fam'liarities o' his, I shore regrets we-alls can't corral his game none. His scatterin' loose this-away is a'most liable to make a Montana sheriff apprehensife an' gun-shy." "He ain't hit us yet," spoke up little Jim bravely. "If he does he'll let sunshine through us, like as if we was a plate-glass winder," declared the cowboy. Again the whaleboat tacked, and before the schooner got round, Tari swung her up once more on to the original tack. Confused by the rapid manœuvres of the whaleboat, the marooner hesitated a moment too long whilst head to wind, and then starboarded his helm in an attempt to fall off on to the port tack again. But he was too late; the schooner had not enough way on her to respond to her tiller, and in a moment she was all aback. "My God! she's missed stays!" yelled the rover joyfully. "What luck! What all-fired luck!" "Shall we-alls burn some more powder on him?" proposed Broncho eagerly. "I regyards this here as a speshul o'casion." "I think we'd better hold on a bit, Broncho. The ammunition's none too plentiful, and we'll want every cartridge presently," declared their cautious leader. "An' you thinks a show-down is some handy, Jack?" inquired the cowboy. "Well, the wind's dropping fast; that's all in our favour." "Perhaps he'll tire of this and sheer off before daybreak," broke in Loyola wistfully. "I allow he's too mean-strain an Injun to break away afore he's rattled us some consid'rable more; but don't you fear, missy, we euchres him some way on the final deal," declared Broncho cheerfully. "You bet! The time's comin' when we'll wag our tails an' send 'im navigatin' over the horizon quicker'n if a hornet's stung 'im," chimed in Bill heartily. Thus with hopeful talk did each hide a sinking heart. Taking her hand in his, Jack looked long and lovingly into Loyola's eyes. "Whatever happens, dear, you and I will not be parted--that I swear," he whispered. "Dear Jack," she answered fondly, and smiled back at him with a brave spirit. "If it comes to the worst, we'll board and carry the wretched schooner," he went on valiantly. "Three white men, not to speak of you, Jim, and Tari, ought to be able to settle the mixed rabble on that pirate. Never fear, Lolie, we'll pull through somehow." Fainter and fainter grew the wind as the dawn approached. Still the whaleboat doubled before the persevering schooner like a hard-pressed hare, and by well-timed manœuvring the castaways continued to hold their own, though the marooner hung out every flying kite that would draw.