Ralph was puzzled at this; for if she had made out the brig and schooner, her natural course would have been to have made for the other end of the island, so as to cut them off as they sailed past it; whereas they would now, when they gained the extremity of the island, find themselves five or six miles astern of the other two craft.  The French sailors were equally puzzled, and there was a hot argument between them; but they finally concluded that her appearance at that moment must be accidental, and she could not have made out the privateers.  They had just told Ralph to run down with the news to the harbor when a light was thrown upon the mystery; for from the other end of the island from which the frigate had emerged a large schooner appeared.  Every sail was set, and her course was directed toward this other end of the island upon which the watchers were standing.  The two French sailors burst out into a torrent of oaths, expressive of surprise and alarm; for it was evident that from the course the schooner was taking she intended to intercept the two privateers, and engage them until the frigate came to her assistance.

“Run, boy! run for your life!” one of them exclaimed, “and tell the captain.  But no; wait a moment,” and he directed the glass upon the schooner.  “A thousand curses!” he exclaimed.  “It is the Cerf schooner the English captured from us six months ago.  She is the fastest craft in these waters.  Tell the captain that I am coming after you, but your legs will beat mine.”

Ralph dashed off at full speed, but as soon as he had fairly distanced the French sailor he began to run more slowly.  For the moment he had so entered into the feelings of his companions that he had identified himself with them, but now he had time to think, his sympathies swung round to the English ship.  He did not particularly want La Belle Marie to be captured; for he had been so well treated on board her that he felt no ill-will toward her.  But her capture meant his deliverance.

He thought over the matter as he ran, and wondered first why the frigate did not take the line to cut the privateers off, instead of going round by the other end of the island.  He could only suppose that it was because the schooner was the fastest vessel, and was more likely to arrive in time at the point.  Beside, if she showed there before the privateers reached the point they might double back again, and the frigate would make the other end of the island before they were halfway back.  It might be, too, that the captain has suspected the truth, knowing that the privateers had a rendezvous somewhere in that neighborhood, and that his object in remaining so long behind the island was to give them time to enter their port in ignorance of his being in the neighborhood.  At any rate, the great thing was, that the schooner and brig should enter the little harbor before knowing that they were pursued.  Once in, it would be impossible for them to get out again and beat off shore with the wind blowing dead on the land, before both the schooner and frigate had rounded their respective ends of the island.