"We are creeping away beautifully," continued he. "I always knew the Ballahoo had a clever pair of heels, if there was any wind at all--poo, the Midge at her best could not have touched us, take my word for it, Mr Brail--keep her full and by, my lad"--to the man at the helm--"let her walk through it--do you hear?--we shall show that felucca that she has no chance with us." I handed the glass to the skipper again. "Don't you see something towing astern yonder, as she falls off, and comes up to the wind again?" "Faith I do," said he, in a hurried and somewhat disconcerted tone; a sudden light seeming to flash on him; "I see a long dark object in her wake, as she rises on the swell--what can it be?" "What say you to its being the spanker-boom, or a spare topmast of the vessel we saw on fire, for instance?" said I; "at all events, you see it is a spar of some sort or another, and it can only be there for one purpose, to keep her astern, while she desires to appear to be carrying all sail, and going a-head as fast as she can; it is a common trick amongst these piratical craft, I know." The man, with a melancholy shake of his head, coincided with me. "Now," said I, "listen to me. I know that felucca well," and here I told him how, and what time I had been on board of her--"if she casts off that drag, she will be alongside of you in a crack. In light winds and a smooth sea, she is the fastest thing I ever saw; you have no chance if you trust to your heels; so, take my advice, and shorten sail boldly at once; get all your passengers on deck with their trabucos; clear away your guns and double-shot them, and see all ready for action. If you appear prepared she will not bother you--it is not her cue to fight, unless she cannot help it--at any rate, if you don't frighten her off, I see she will stick by you all day, and be alongside whether _you will or no_ when the night falls; so the sooner you give him a glimpse of your charms the better, take my word for it." My advice was so palpably prudent, that it was instantly followed. "Valga me Dios!" exclaimed one of our Spanish passengers--"que gente hay abordo--gracias a Dios, que este felucha no puede andar; porque hombre honesto no lo es."--(Heaven help me, what a number of people there are on board--we should be thankful that that felucca can't sail, as she is not honest, that's clear.) Another shouted out--"Tanto gente--tanto gente!" (Lord what a number of people--what a number of people!) "People!" exclaimed the skipper, laughing, as he slammed the joints of the glass into each other; "why, it is a deck-load of cattle, or I am a Dutchman. Oh dear--oh dear--why, gentlemen, your courage has all been thrown away--she is some Montego bay trader with a cargo of dyewood, and 'ganado,' as you call them--ha--ha--ha!"