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When Captain Burke observed the _Dunkery Beacon_ steaming in his direction, and soon afterwards perceived a signal on this steamer to the effect that she wished to speak with the yacht, he began to hope that he was going to get out of his difficulties. The natural surmise was that as one of the pirates had gone to join another just arriving upon the scene, the _Dunkery Beacon_ -- the Captain and crew of which must have turned traitors -- was now coming to propose some arrangement, probably to give up Shirley if the yacht would agree to go its way and cease its harassing interference.
If this proposition should be made, Burke and Mrs. Cliff, in conference, decided to accept it. They had done all they could, and would return to Kingston to report to Captain Horn what they had done, and what they had discovered. But it was not long before the people on the yacht began to wonder very much at the conduct of the great steamer which was now rapidly approaching them, apparently under full head of steam.