t
stale of things. Of this advantage he availed himself, by urging the
different ships off as fast as possible; and long before the sun was in
the meridian, all the English vessels were making the best of their way
towards the land, with the intention of fetching into Plymouth if
possible; if not, into the nearest and best anchorage to leeward. The
progress of the fleet was relatively slow, as a matter of course, though
it got along at the rate of some five knots, by making a free wind of
it.

The master of the Chloe had just taken the sun, in order to ascertain
his latitude, when the vice-admiral commanded Denham to set
top-gallant-sails, and go within hail of the Caesar. That ship had got
clear of _le Pluton_ half an hour after the action ceased, and she was
now leading the fleet, with her three top-sails on the caps. Aloft she
had suffered comparatively little; but Sir Gervaise knew that there must
have been a serious loss of men in carrying, hand to hand, a vessel like
that of M. des Prez. He was anxious to see his friend, and to hear the
manner in which his success had been obtained, and, we might add, to
remonstrate with Bluewater on a course that had led the latter to the
verge of a most dangerous abyss.

The Chloe was half an hour running through the fleet, which was a good
deal extended, and was sailing without any regard to a line. Sir
Gervaise had many questions to ask, too, of the different commanders in
passing. At last the frigate overtook le Temeraire, which vessel was
following the Caesar under easy canvass. As the Chloe came up abeam, Sir
Gervaise appeared in the gangway of the frigate, and, hat in hand, he
asked with an accent that was intelligible, though it might not have
absolutely stood the test of criticism,--

_"Le Vice-Admiral Oakes demande comment se porte-il, le contre-amiral,
le Vicomte des Prez?"_

A little elderly man, dressed with extreme care, with a powdered head,
but of a firm step and perfectly collected expression of countenance,
appeared on the verge of le Temeraire's poop, trumpet in hand, to reply.

"_Le Vicomte des Prez remercie bien Monsieur le Chevalier Oake, et
desire vivement de savoir comment se porte Monsieur le Vice-Amiral?_"

Mutual waves of the trumpets served as replies to the questions, and
then, after taking a moment to muster his French, Sir Gervaise
continued--

_"J'espere voir Monsieur le Contre-Amiral a diner, a cinq heures,
precis."_

The vicomte smiled