ard ordering two boats
away under the command of the third lieutenant, who was directed to take
charge of the prize, and to send her crew on board the ship.

Not a moment was to be lost, as the rest of the enemy, under all sail,
were endeavouring to make their escape.

The boats of the prize, which proved to be the _Alexander_, carrying
twenty-four guns and upwards of a hundred men, were then lowered, and
employed in conveying her crew to the ship.

The American captain and officers were inclined to grumble at first.

"Very sorry, gentlemen, to incommode you," said the English lieutenant,
as he hurried them down the side; "but necessity has no law; my orders
are to send you all on board the frigate, as the captain is in a hurry
to go in chase of your friends, of which we hope to have one or two more
in our possession before long."

The lieutenant altered his tone when the Americans began to grumble.
"You must go at once, or take the consequences," he exclaimed; and the
prisoners saw that it would be wise to obey.

They were received very politely on board the ship, Captain Waring
offering to accept their parole if they were ready to give it, and
promise not to attempt to interfere with the discipline and regulations
of the ship.

As soon as the prisoners were transferred to the _Foxhound_, she made
all sail in chase of the large ship, which Captain Waring now heard was
the sixty-four gun ship _Menager_, laden with gunpowder, but now
mounting on her maindeck twenty-six long twelve-pounders, and on her
quarter-deck four long six-pounders, with a crew of two hundred and
twenty men.

Her force was considerably greater than that of the English frigate, but
Captain Waring did not for a moment hesitate to continue in pursuit of
her. A stern chase, however, is a long chase. The day wore on, and
still the French ship kept ahead of the _Foxhound_.

The crew were piped to dinner to obtain fresh strength for renewing the
fight.

"Well, lads," said Green, who was a bit of a wag in his way, as he
looked at the powder-boys still seated on their tubs, "as you have still
got your heads on your shoulders, you may put some food into your
mouths. Maybe you won't have another opportunity after we get up with
the big 'un we are chasing. I told you, mates," he added, turning to
the crew of his gun, "the captain knew what he was about, and would make
the Frenchmen haul down their flags before we hauled down ours. I
should not