f I'm not mistaken?"

"No, Sir Jarvy, it's Jack Brown; which is much the same, your honour.
We's no ways partic'lar about names."

"Well, Jack, does it blow hard aloft? So as to give you any trouble in
holding on?"

"Nothing to speak on, Sir Jarvy. A'ter cruising a winter and spring in
the Bay of Biscay, I looks on this as no more nor a puff. Half a hand
will keep a fellow in his berth, aloft."

"Galleygo--take Jack Brown below to my cabin, and give him a fresh nip
in his jigger--he'll hold on all the better for it."

This was Sir Gervaise's mode of atoning for the error in doing the man
injustice, by supposing he was mistaken about the new sail, and Jack
Brown went aloft devoted to the commander-in-chief. It costs the great
and powerful so little to become popular, that one is sometimes
surprised to find that any are otherwise; but, when we remember that it
is also their duty to be just, astonishment ceases; justice being
precisely the quality to which a large portion of the human race are
most averse.

Half an hour passed, and no further reports were received from aloft. In
a few minutes, however, the Warspite signalled the admiral, to report
the stranger on her weather-quarter, and, not long after, the Active did
the same. Still neither told his character; and the course being
substantially the same, the unknown ship approached but slowly,
notwithstanding the unusual quantity of sail she had set. At the end of
the period mentioned, the vessels in the south-eastern board began to be
visible from the deck. The ocean was so white with foam, that it was not
easy to distinguish a ship, under short canvass, at any great distance;
but, by the aid of glasses, both Sir Gervaise and Greenly satisfied
themselves that the number of the enemy at the southward amounted to
just twenty; one more having hove in sight, and been signalled by the
Chloe, since her first report. Several of these vessels, however, were
small; and, the vice-admiral, after a long and anxious survey, lowered
his glass and turned to his captain in order to compare opinions.

"Well, Greenly," he asked, "what do you make of them, now?--According to
my reckoning, there are thirteen of the line, two frigates, four
corvettes, and a lugger; or twenty sail in all."

"There can be no doubt of the twenty sail, Sir Gervaise, though the
vessels astern are still too distant to speak of their size. I rather
think it will turn out _fourteen_ of the line and only th