ing her sails, she
made some progress during the night, but as morning approached, a thick
fog came on, and she lay almost becalmed on the glass like sea. It was
Harry's morning watch. Look-outs were stationed aloft to catch the
first glimpse of any sail which might be near, though their hulls and
lower rigging would be hidden by the mist. It was a time when vigilance
was doubly necessary, for it was possible that an enemy's cruiser might
have ventured thus far towards the English coast in the hopes of
capturing any homeward-bound merchantmen in ignorance of the war.

At length dawn broke, and the mist assumed that silvery hue which showed
that the sun was about once more to rise above the horizon. All hands
were on deck, employed in the morning duties of a man-of-war's crew.

The sails which had hitherto hung down against the masts gave several
loud flaps, then gradually bulged out, and the ship obtaining steerage
way, once more glided slowly onwards.

Harry sent a midshipman forward to see that the look-outs had their eyes
open.

Suddenly the fog lifted.

"A sail on the lee-bow," shouted the midshipman. "A lugger close-hauled
standing across our course, sir."

At that moment the captain came on deck.

"She shows no colours," again shouted the midshipman.

"We will speak her whatever she is," observed the captain.

The order was given to trim sails, and the corvette was steered so as to
cut off the lugger should she continue on her present course.

Those on board the stranger only just then discovered the ship of war,
and instead of continuing on close-hauled as before, she stood away with
her sheets eased off to the southward.

"That looks suspicious," observed Headland. "If she were honest, she
would not try to avoid us."

It was soon evident that the lugger was a fast craft. Every sail the
_Thisbe_ could carry was set, while the lugger, spreading out her broad
canvas, did her best to escape.

"Perhaps the fellows think we may press some of them, and are simply
anxious to escape being overhauled," observed Harry.

Though the lugger made good way, the loftier sails of the _Thisbe_
carried her quickly through the water, and her commander and Harry hoped
that she would deserve the character they first formed of her.

At length they got near enough to the lugger to send a shot from a
bow-chaser as a signal to heave to. She, however, took no notice of it,
and stood on. Other shots were fired in