nal stores and proceed forthwith to sea again. No
leave was granted to men or officers. The sick were simply bundled on
shore, additional men shipped, and she was off again within
eight-and-forty hours of her arrival in port.

For the _Ocean Pride_ was a crack cruiser for those brave days, in which
seamen were sailors and seamanship a fine art.

Sir Sidney Salt was not only brave, but daring almost to a fault. He
believed most thoroughly and completely in the supremacy of British
seamen to French; but discipline and drill he looked upon as his
mainstays, fore and aft. His success had proved that he was correct in
system, not once but often during the past twelve months; for more than
one of the enemy's ships, larger even than his own, had been destroyed
or taken by the _Ocean Pride_ and her gallant crew. Boat actions had
been fought also: she had been engaged with batteries; her men had cut
out prizes from under the very guns of these; and they had fought on
shore too, side by side with marines and soldiers.

"It would be but the fortune of war," said Sir Sidney to his commander
as they stood together on the quarter-deck, "were this frigate, that is
now bearing down so boldly on us, to destroy us."

The commander grasped his sword with his left hand, and his features
were grimly set as he made reply,--

"True, sir, true. It would be but the fortune of war. Well, she may
destroy us; she shall never take us."

"Boldly spoken, Miller. It would indeed be a disgrace to lower our flag
to a ship of about our own size, and that ship a Frenchman. But see how
boldly she carries herself. Top-gallant sails down; all trim fore and
aft; guns run out; and hark! was that a cheer?"

"Yes, sir; a French one."

"Ha, ha, ha! Well, they shall hear a British one anon. Depend upon it,
Miller, that frigate has a consort, and she is not far off at this
moment, and--"

A puff of white smoke, with a point of fire in its centre, was now seen
curling round the enemy's bows, and the roar of the cannon interrupted
the captain's speech, and next moment a shot came ricochetting across
from wave-top to wave-top, and passed harmlessly by on the starboard
side.

"The fellow is beginning to be afraid already," said Miller, laughing.

"Yes; and depend upon it that shot was meant to keep his courage up.
But if he thinks we are to have a long-range duel he is miserably
mistaken. Set the fore-soldier, Miller. We'll walk to windward of him if
we c