ntly not met for
some time. Jos, who was shortly after this allowed to come out of the
cabin, told them that they were right in their conclusions. The whole
fleet now made sail together, and stood to the eastward. The night,
when they were all shut up again in the same cabin, was not over
pleasant. When daylight broke, the door was opened, and they were
allowed to go out. It was a perfect calm, and the pirates were
propelling their huge junks, so unwieldy in appearance, with long oars,
or rather sculls, through the water at no inconsiderable rate. There
was evidently an object in this speed, for the Chinamen are not given to
exert themselves without a cause.

"Perhaps they are pursued by an enemy, and if so, we have a a chance of
being rescued," observed Jack, as he first went on deck.

"No, I think not. See, the whole fleet are steering for the same
point," answered Murray. "Ah! look ahead; what do you see there?"

"A brig, and I do believe a brig-of-war," exclaimed Rogers. "I
shouldn't be surprised if she proves to be the _Blenny_. If she is, the
pirates will find that they have caught a Tartar."

"She is not unlike your little brig, certainly, but at this distance it
is impossible to say," remarked Murray. "But even a brig-of-war in a
calm, surrounded by this host of junks, will have great odds against
her; still, our fellows will do their best--of that I am very certain."

"That they will, there's no doubt about it," observed Captain Willock.
"You Britishers fight well, I guess, and no wonder, when you've had us
to practise with."

"I wonder, captain, that you do not declare that the Yankees taught us
to fight," said Jack, laughing.

"And so we did, I guess," quickly answered the skipper. "We taught you
a trick or two, at all events."

"What was that?" asked Jack.

"To keep awake," answered Captain Willock. "It is the first thing for a
soldier or a sailor to do, you'll allow, and before that time you were
apt to go to sleep now and then I calculate."

"Perhaps you are right, captain," said Murray; "but what was the other
trick you taught us?"

"Not to despise your enemies, I guess," answered the skipper. "You
despised us, and we beat you; you did not despise the French, who were
ten times better soldiers than the Americans were, and had fifty times
better generals than we had, and you beat them. There was the
difference. Never think meanly of the people with whom you are
fighting. Beli