"I to my state-room?" demanded Amélie, her eyes flashing. "How little you know me, Captain." Naundorff clutched Soliviac by the sleeve, and, almost kneeling, entreated: "Renounce force, for in that renunciation is the secret of life. It has been written: I took your cause in my hands and your grievance have I avenged. O forbear to spill blood, forbear to destroy life." The Captain, respectfully but with evident displeasure, moved away, saying: "There is no alternative." "But what right have you, Captain, to attack that vessel for performing a charitable deed?" "What right?" retorted the Breton. "Tell me first by what right the innocent boy-king was tortured, imprisoned, buried? When that schooner and its crew sleep on the floor of ocean, no man will arise to speak to me about rights. Ho there! to business." And he ran down the stairs, followed by René and the Carbonari. Amélie flung her arms around her father's neck as he fell on his knees in prayer. The pale blue morning light filtered through the cabin windows and gleamed over the water. Chapter IX THE SCHOONER The Polipheme with outstretched sails sped swiftly after the schooner. Soliviac turned the telescope upon her, remarking to the mate: "She seems to be lying to." The mate took the instrument and looked also. "Not only lying to," he said, "but she is also drawing in sails." "What can that mean?" mused the captain. "It means good luck to us, for within another quarter of an hour she will be within our reach. Then we may send her a salute. There is no necessity of announcing our intentions to the high seas: therefore, lower the French flag and hoist the Dutch, in case there be witnesses to our fray." These orders were silently executed. The crew never commented upon the captain's acts. Besides, having been habituated by their long campaigns against England to piracy and lust for booty, they chafed at the restrictions of a normally organized commerce and enthusiastically welcomed the approaching struggle. The schooner's graceful form, floating the English flag, was easily discernible. Her crew appeared like ants, moving to and fro. "Captain," exclaimed the pilot, "do you not see them signal? They have just fired off a sky rocket." "Let us give them a sample of _our_ rockets!" answered Soliviac. "Let us demand the spy," whispered Giacinto. "Are you crazy?" asked Louis Pierre. "What if the fellow leave them a letter for the government? No. The vessel that has rescued Volpetti must perish. Are you trembling? Have you contracted the scruples of the man who is praying on his knees in the cabin? I also believe in divine justice. I believe that 'tis we who accomplish it." "Captain," called out the mate, "do you see that thin column of smoke rising from her right side?" Soliviac dropped the telescope, for his eyes served him better at that distance than the instrument. He saw that the vessel was burning. "She is afire!" he called out.