Adventures in Many Lands, page 180 by Various Authors
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, faint and indistinct, loomed the low-lying coast-line. One could only judge it to be a wild, inhospitable shore.
The sun disappeared, and the shades of night began to fall. Suddenly the clouds parted, and a ray of sunshine shot obliquely down towards the south-west.
The pilot immediately muttered: "That's well!"
The bright ray had struck the dark sails of a lugger, and in her he had recognised the craft he had come out to pilot to a fateful destination.
Smartly he ran up a small lugsail, and set his boat's head towards the stranger. She was black hulled, and with a rakish rig that gave her the appearance of being a fast sailer.
At the critical moment, when it appeared the lugger was about to cut him down, the pilot suddenly ported helm, and ran his boat under the lugger's side. Smartly he lowered his sail and fastened on the vessel with his boathook.
"Heave a rope!" called he. "I'm coming on board."
"And who are you?" asked a swarthy man, who had been watching from the lugger's bows.
"I bring a message to your captain."
"Catch, then!" and a coil of rope went curling through the air.
The pilot deftly caught it, and hitched the end to the bow of his boat.
"Carry it astern, and make fast!" ordered he, like one accustomed to command. "She'll tow till I want her."
The boat dropped astern, but the pilot nimbly boarded the lugger.
A powerful man in reefer jacket, sou'-wester, and sea-boots greeted him with--
"You seem pretty free with strangers, my lad."
The pilot held out a piece of paper. The captain took it and read--
"It is by our order and for the good of the cause that the bearer is authorised to act."
The signature was a rude hieroglyphic. The captain's manner immediately showed that he recognised it, and respected it.
"Am I to understand that you take command?"
The pilot bowed, and tendered a second paper. The captain read--
"Should the bearer fail to accompli