As the party was sailing back toward the brig, the
lighthouse boat towing the Swash’s yawl, Jack
took as good an observation of the channels of that
part of the reef as his low position would allow.
He tried to form in his mind a sort of chart of the
spot, for, from the instant Mulford was thus deserted,
the little fellow had formed a stern resolution to
attempt his rescue. How that was to be done,
however, was more than he yet knew; and when they reached
the brig’s side, Tier may be said to have been
filled with good intentions, rather than with any
very available knowledge to enable him to put them
in execution.
As respects the two vessels, the arrival of Spike
on board his own was not a moment too soon. The
Poughkeepsie, for the stranger to the northward was
now ascertained to be that sloop-of-war, was within
long gun-shot by this time, and near enough to make
certain, by means of her glasses, of the character
of the craft with which she was closing. Luckily
for the brig she lay in the channel so often mentioned,
and through which both she and her present pursuer
had so lately come, on their way to the northward.
This brought her to windward, as the wind then stood,
with a clear passage before her. Not a moment
was lost. No sooner were the females sent below,
than sail was made on the brig, and she began to beat
through the passage, making long legs and short ones.
She was chased, as a matter of course, and that hard,
the difference in sailing between the two crafts not
being sufficiently great to render the brigantine’s
escape by any means certain, while absolutely within
the range of those terrible missiles that were used
by the man-of-war’s men.
But Spike soon determined not to leave a point so
delicate as that of his own and his vessel’s
security to be decided by a mere superiority in the
way of heels. The Florida Reef, with all its
dangers, windings, and rocks, was as well known to
him as the entrances to the port of New York.
In addition to its larger channels, of which there
are three or four, through which ships of size can
pass, it had many others that would admit only vessels
of a lighter draught of water. The brig was not
flying light, it is true, but she was merely in good
ballast trim, and passages would be available to her,
into which the Poughkeepsie would not dare to venture.
One of these lesser channels was favourably placed
to further the escape of Spike, and he shoved the
brig into it after the struggle had lasted less than
an hour. This passage offered a shorter cut to
the south side of the reef than the main channel, and
the sloop-of-war, doubtless perceiving the uselessness
of pursuit, under such circumstances, wore round on
her heel, and came down through the main channel again,
just entering the open water, near the spot where
the schooner had sunk, as the sun was setting.
CHAPTER II.
Shallow. Did her grandsire leave her seven
hundred pound?
