hen Bill really awoke, the light was streaming down through the
fore-hatchway. He roused up Jack, as there was no one below to call
them, and on going on deck they discovered the crew at their quarters,
and the French frigate almost within range of their guns.

She was to leeward, for the wind was still in its former quarter, and
she had just then hauled up and backed her main-topsail to await their
coming.

She was now seen to carry four more guns than the _Thisbe_, and to be
apparently considerably larger, her bright, polished sides showing that
she had not been long out of harbour.

When a ship goes into action, sail is generally shortened, but Captain
Martin kept all the _Thisbe's_ set, and stood on, bearing down directly
for the enemy.

Jack had been sent to join the other boys, who were employed in bringing
up the powder as required from the magazine, but the first lieutenant
directed Bill to remain near him.

Jack took his seat as a matter of course on his tub, and, as it
happened, next to Tom.

"How are you feeling?" asked Tom, who looked rather pale.

"Much as I generally do, only I am rather peckish," answered Jack. "I
wish we had had time for breakfast before thrashing the mounseers, but I
hope that won't take us very long."

"I hope not," said Tom; "only they say that the French ship is the
bigger of the two."

"What's the odds of that, provided we can work our guns twice as fast as
they can?" observed Jack; "that's the way we licked the Frenchmen
before, and, of course, we shall lick them again; but I say, Tom, what
makes you look so melancholy?"

"Do I? Well, if you want to know, I was thinking of home, and wishing I
had not run off to sea. I've had a miserable life of it since I came on
board this frigate. It was my own fault that I did not go back when I
was last on shore. I had the chance, but was ashamed to show my face."

"There's no use thinking about that sort of thing now," said Jack. "We
shall be fighting the Frenchmen in a few minutes, and the round and
grape shot and bullets will be flying about our ears."

"That's what I don't quite like the thoughts of," replied Tom. "I hope
neither you nor I will be hit, Jack."

"Of course not," said Jack; "it wouldn't be pleasant, though we must do
our duty, and trust to chance, or rather trust in Providence, like the
rest."

"I don't envy Bill up on deck there," remarked Tom. "I wonder what the
first lieutenant wants with him."