sea. Well, very soon we were not
four miles from the French coast, so we hauled down our English colours
and hoisted French. The frigate gained on us very fast, but we
continued to steer on, and she in pursuit, until we were within gun-shot
of the batteries. What the Frenchmen thought we did not know, at all
events they did not fire, and we steered right on as if we were chased,
and the frigate followed after us, until we were within a mile and a
half of the batteries, when the frigate thought proper to haul her wind;
then the battery opened upon her, and we could see that she was hulled
more than once, and, as she kept her wind along the shore, the other
batteries opened upon her, and she got a good mauling. We saw her shift
her fore-topsail yard as soon as she went about again, and we afterwards
heard that she had several men hurt, which was a pity."

"And did not the batteries fire upon _you_?"

"No, for we kept the French colours up, and hove to within a mile of the
coast. It was a lee-shore, and there was too much surf and sea for them
to send off a boat and ascertain whether we were a French privateer or
not; so there we lay till dusk, and then made sail again, and, being so
close into the French shore, we picked up a good prize that very night.
When the cruise was over, I was satisfied. I got my prize-money, and
then, as I knew our own coast well, I passed for pilot, and have served
as one ever since. How's her head, Tom?"

"South West, almost."

"South West _almost_ won't do, Tom. It's not quite South West,
quarter-south; so you must say South West southerly. D'ye understand?"

When Bessy knocked at my door the next morning, she cried out, laughing,
"How's her head, Tom?" and those words made me jump up like lightning.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

IN WHICH BRAMBLE POINTS OUT TO ME THAT SINGING IS PART OF THE PROFESSION
OF A PILOT.

In about a fortnight from the time that Bramble commenced his tuition, I
was quite perfect with the compass; his method certainly was very good,
for by such reiterated catechising what you had to learn was graven on
your memory. All day long the same system was pursued. Even if dinner
was on the table, the compass was on a chair close by, and as I was
putting my fork to my mouth, much to Bessy's amusement, out would come
the question, "How's her head, Tom?" Bramble soon gained his point; I
could answer like lightning. But whether I was by the fire indoors, or
on th