If you will step to the other end of the lugger, you can take a
look at the craft that has been crawling along, in-shore of us, for the
last three hours--there is something about her that is unnat'ral; she
seems to be dropping down nearer to us, while she has no motion through
the water. The last circumstance I hold to be unnat'ral with a vessel
that has all sail set and in this breeze."
Raoul pressed the hand of Ghita, and whispered her to go below, as he
was fearful the air of the night might injure her. He then went forward,
where he could command as good a view of the felucca in-shore, as the
obscurity of the hour permitted; and he felt a little uneasiness, when
he found how near she had got to the lugger. When he last noted her
position, this vessel was quite half a mile distant, and appeared to be
crossing the bows of le Feu-Follet, with sufficient wind to have carried
her a mile ahead in the interval; yet could he not perceive that she had
advanced as far, in that direction, as she had drifted down upon the
lugger the while.
"Have you been examining her long?" he demanded of the New Hampshire
man.
"Ever since she has seemed to stand still; which is now some twenty
minutes. She is dull, I suppose, for she has been several hours getting
along a league; and there is now air enough for such a craft to go three
knots to the hour. Her coming down upon us is easily accounted for,
there being a considerable current out of this river, as you may see by
the ripple at our own cut-water; but I find nothing to keep her from
going ahead at the same time.
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