are only four to our two
ships, for the lieutenant in charge of the prize will fight his guns as
well as we do ours."

"But what do you say to that big ship coming up Channel out there?"
asked Tom. "We shall be made mincemeat of if she gets up to us, for I
heard the boatswain's mate say that she's a seventy-four at least, and
may be an eighty-gun ship, or still larger."

"She hasn't come up with us yet," answered Bill. "We shall have time to
beat off the others and stand away to the northward before she gets us
within range of her guns. Perhaps, too, the wind will shift to the
eastward, and throw her to leeward. We shall then be well in with
Plymouth by the time she can manage to beat up to us. We are not going
to give in while the tight little frigate keeps above water."

Bill expressed the sentiments of most of the crew. Still, the odds were
greatly against the _Thisbe_ and _Diana_. The latter had but forty
hands on board to work the guns and manage the sails, while the crew of
the _Thisbe_ was thus far diminished, besides which they had to look
after their prisoners.

The two leading ships of the enemy had been made out to be frigates, as
it was thought probable were their consorts astern; and even though they
might fail to capture the _Thisbe_, they might knock away her masts and
spars, and so maul her that she would be compelled to succumb to the
line-of-battle ship coming up from the westward.

Not, however, by his manner, or anything he said, did the captain show
the least apprehension of such a result. The crew were at their
stations, ready to shorten sail should the breeze freshening render it
necessary. The men joked and laughed as usual, as ready for action as
if they were only expecting one opponent of equal size.

The morning wore on, the hands were piped down to dinner, the prospect
of hot work not at all damping their appetites, though perhaps they got
through their meal rather faster than was their wont; when they again
hurried on deck to see how things were going on. The two French
frigates were approaching. The headmost in a short time fired a
bowchaser, but the shot fell short. It served, however, as a signal to
prepare for action. Once more the guns were cast loose, and their crews
stood ready to fire as soon as they received the looked-for word of
command.

A few of the French prisoners who had been allowed to remain on deck
were now ordered below. They went willingly enough, e