In two hours the lookout at the head of the mast shouted down that he could perceive the brigantine's topsail.
"She is sailing in towards the land on that side," he said.

"She has evidently made a tack out, and is now on the starboard tack again." "It will be a long leg and a short one with her, sir," the skipper said.

"I think that if we were in her place we could just manage to lay our course along the coast, but with those square yards of hers, she cannot go as close to the wind as we can.

As it is, we can lay our course to cut her off." "It would be rather a close pinch to do so before she gets to the head of the bay," Frank said.
"Yes, sir, and I don't suppose that we shall overhaul her before that, but we certainly shan't be far behind her by the time she gets there.

I think that we shall cut her off if the wind holds as it does now.