“Over there. Starboard bow. By Cormorant Island. We shall fetch her on this tack.”
“It’s Amazon all right,” said Susan. “But there’s nobody in her. She must have broken loose from somewhere and drifted away.”
John watched carefully.
“She’s not drifting,” he said. “She’s at anchor. Perhaps the Amazons are asleep in her. Hurrah! Let’s capture her after all. We’ll get her anchor without waking them and tow her into harbour. Then when they wake they’ll be prisoners.”
“I don’t believe there’s anybody in her,” said Susan.
“Rubbish,” said John. “She couldn’t have got there and anchored herself.”
“Well, we’ll see in a minute,” said Susan.
John did not at first alter the Swallow ’s course. That tack would bring her just to windward of the Amazon . Then he would be able to back down carefully with the oars to get hold of the anchor rope and take her in tow without waking the sleeping pirates. Then he changed his mind. It would be better to sail close under her stern to have a look into her. It would be silly to try to get their anchor if the Amazons were only pretending to be asleep.
“I’m sure there’s no one in her,” said Susan as they rushed towards the little anchored ship.
But just then a hand showed on the gunwale, and a moment later, just as they were passing under Amazon ’s stern, the white face and rather draggled hair of Able-seaman Titty appeared over the transom.