CHAPTER XXIII.
PLANS PARTIALLY CARRIED OUT--THE CUTTER'S FATE--AND A SERIOUS MISFORTUNE.
The cutter was a fast sailer, and, although the pirate schooner had left Sandy Cove nearly two days before her, the Wasp, having had a fair wind, followed close on her heels.

The Avenger cast anchor in the harbor of the Isle of Palms on the morning of her fifth day out; the Wasp sighted the island on the evening of the same day.
It was not Gascoyne's purpose to run down at once and have a hand-to-hand fight with his own men.

He felt that his party was too weak for such an attempt, and resolved to accomplish by stratagem what he could not hope to compass by force.

He therefore hove-to the instant the tops of the palm trees appeared on the horizon, and waited till night should set in and favor his designs.
"What do you intend to do ?" inquired Henry Stuart, who stood on the deck watching the sun as it sank into the ocean behind a mass of golden clouds, in which, however, there were some symptoms of stormy weather.
"I mean to wait till it is dark," said Gascoyne, "and then run down and take possession of the schooner." Henry looked at the pirate captain in surprise, and not without distrust.

Ole Thorwald, who was smoking his big German pipe with great energy, looked at him with undisguised uneasiness.
"You speak as if you had no doubt whatever of succeeding in this enterprise, Mr.Gascoyne," said the latter.
"I _have_ no doubt," replied Gascoyne.
"I do believe you're right," returned Thorwald, smoking furiously as he became more agitated "I make no question but your villains will receive you with open arms.