that was said was true enough. The rear-admiral's division having
suddenly hauled up, in a close line ahead, each ship followed her leader
as mechanically as if they moved by a common impulse. As no one in the
least doubted the rear-admiral's loyalty, and his courage was of proof,
it was the general opinion that this unusual man[oe]uvre had some
connection with the unintelligible signals, and the young officers
laughingly inquired among themselves what "Sir Jarvy was likely to do
next?"

It would seem, however, that Monsieur de Vervillin suspected a
repetition of some of the scenes of the preceding day; for, no sooner
did he perceive that the English rear was hugging the wind, than five of
his leading ships filled, and drew ahead, as if to meet that division,
man[oe]uvring to double on the head of his line; while the remaining
five, with the Foudroyant, still lay with their top-sails to the mast,
waiting for their enemy to come down. Sir Gervaise could not stand this
long. He determined, if possible, to bring Bluewater to terms, and he
ordered the Plantagenet to fill. Followed by his own division, he wore
immediately, and went off under easy sail, quartering, towards Monsieur
de Vervillin's rear, to avoid being raked.

The quarter of an hour that succeeded was one of intense interest, and
of material changes; though not a shot was fired. As soon as the Comte
de Vervillin perceived that the English were disposed to come nearer, he
signalled his own division to bear up, and to run off dead before the
wind, under their top-sails, commencing astern; which reversed his order
of sailing, and brought le Foudroyant in the rear, or nearest to the
enemy. This was no sooner done, than he settled all his top-sails on the
caps. There could be no mistaking this man[oe]uvre. It was a direct
invitation to Sir Gervaise to come down, fairly alongside; the bearing
up at once removing all risk of being raked in so doing. The English
commander-in-chief was not a man to neglect such a palpable challenge;
but, making a few signals to direct the mode of attack he contemplated,
he set fore-sail and main-top-gallant-sail, and brought the wind directly
over his own taffrail. The vessels astern followed like clock-work, and
no one now doubted that the mode of attack was settled for that day.

As the French, with Monsieur de Vervillin, were still half a mile to the
southward and eastward of the approaching division, of their enemy, the
Comte col