Once upon a time the task of finding and overtaking a runaway vessel at sea presented innumerable difficulties.  Nowadays, it is often necessary only that the pursuing craft possess sufficiently greater speed to overtake the easily located fugitive.

As the “Sudbury” turned out into the open sea that little gunboat was in instant communication with Washington, and also with any wireless equipped ocean traveler up to nearly half way across the great Atlantic.

At three o’clock the Navy Department at Washington reported to a gunboat out of sight of land that the last sighting of the supposed “Juanita” placed her on the same course as hitherto reported.

At four o’clock came word that the Navy Department had had no new report as to the schooner by wireless.

At five o’clock another wireless despatch was flashed through the air.  Lieutenant Jack Benson, reading, discovered that the “Juanita” had again been sighted on the same course, headed for some port in the British West Indies.

At 5:20 Ensign Eph Somers, port watch officer of the “Sudbury,” sent a marine orderly to report to Lieutenant Benson that a schooner’s topmasts were within sight.

Benson hurried to the bridge, but found Ensign Fullerton there just ahead of him.

“We’ll shape our course in straight pursuit of the schooner, Mr. Fullerton,” decided Lieutenant Jack.

“Very good, sir.”

As yet the schooner’s topmasts were visible only from the military top.  After a few minutes had passed, however, the vessel’s masts were visible from the bridge.

“Does her rig look like that of the ‘Juanita,’ Mr. Somers?” questioned young Benson.

“I can’t say, sir,” Eph replied.  “I didn’t see her, at Cobtown, under sail.  I shall have to wait until I can make out the hull, sir, before I can make even a good guess.”

Smoke was pouring heavily from the “Sudbury’s” two funnels by this time, for the gunboat was being pushed, under forced draught, to considerably better than twenty knots an hour.  The schooner apparently was making between seven and eight knots an hour.

In a few minutes more the hull of the stranger began to show.  Eph, with a pair of marine glasses to his eyes, studied the stranger long and carefully.  Lieutenant Benson, knowing it would be folly to hasten his comrade’s judgment, waited in silent patience.

“That craft looks very much like the ‘Juanita,’ sir,” ventured Eph, at last.  “In fact, sir, I think that’s our schooner.”

“Steer up to windward of her, then, Mr. Somers,” Jack directed.  “Mr. Fullerton, give orders to have the port bow gun manned.  When the order is given, be prepared to fire a blank shot toward the schooner.  If, after one minute, the schooner shows no signs of heaving to, then fire a solid shot across her bows.”

“Very good, sir.”

Without leaving the bridge Ensign Fullerton passed the word for the manning of the gun and loading with a blank cartridge.