vented us from
asking any further questions. It not being known at what moment the
ship might be sent to sea, she was kept well provided with water and
fresh provisions, so that we had nothing to wait for from the shore,
except a few of the officers, who had gone to Port Royal.

Blue Peter was hoisted and a gun fired, as a signal for them to come
off. The topsails were loosed, the cable hove short, and we were ready
to start at the first puff of the land breeze that might come off the
mountains. We were all anxiously looking out for the appearance of the
captain. The moment his gig came alongside, she was hoisted up, the
anchor hove in, the sails let fall, and we glided out of the harbour.
Under the influence of the land breeze, with studding-sails set below
and aloft, we ran on at a rapid rate, expecting that we should reach
Barbadoes in about a week at the furthest. When once away from the
land, the wind dropped, and for hours we lay becalmed. The next morning
we got a light breeze, which enabled us to steer our course. A constant
look-out was kept for the enemy, for though the main body of the French
fleet was said to be in harbour, it was likely that their cruisers would
be met with.

Nettleship, Tom Pim, and I were in the morning watch. The first ruddy
streaks, harbingers of the rising sun, had appeared in the eastern sky,
when the look-out who had been sent aloft shouted, "A sail on the
lee-bow."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

FRESH CAPTURES.

There had been a stark calm since the commencement of the middle watch.
The sails still hung up and down against the masts.

"What does she look like?" inquired Mr Bramston, the lieutenant of the
watch.

"A ship, sir," was the answer.

Nettleship, with his glass at his back, sprang up the rigging to take a
look at the stranger.

"She's a ship, sir, but appears to me to be a small one," he observed as
he came down. The chances are that it's all we shall know about her.
If she gets a breeze before us she'll soon be out of sight.

Soon after, some catspaws began to play across the water.

"Hurrah! we shall get the breeze before the stranger feels it," cried
Nettleship.

Now the canvas began to bulge out; now it again dropped. The royals and
topgallant sails filled, and the frigate moved slowly through the water.
Her speed soon increased, however, as the breeze freshened. At length
we could see the stranger from the decks, for, as she still lay
becalmed, we