ing up to him in our open boats
bull-dog fashion?"

"No question of it at all, sir; Griffin says there are a dozen feluccas
in port here, all afraid to budge an inch in consequence of this chap's
being in the offing. Now one of these trying to slip along shore might
just serve as a bait for him, and then he would be famously hooked."

"I think I have it, Winchester. You understand; we have not yet been
seen to communicate with the town; and luckily our French colors have
been flying all the morning Our head, too, is in-shore, and we shall
drift so far to the eastward in a few minutes as will shut in our hull,
if not our upper sails, from the lugger where she now lies. As soon as
this is done you shall be off with forty picked men for the shore.
Engage a felucca and come out stealing along the rocks as close as you
can, as if distrusting _us_. In due time we will chase you in the boats,
and then you must make for the lugger for protection as fast as you can,
when, betwixt the two, I'll answer for it, you get this Master Yvard, by
fair means or foul."

Winchester was delighted with the scheme, and in less than five minutes
orders were issued for the men to be detailed and armed. Then a
conference was held as to all the minor arrangements; when, the ship
having become shut in from the lugger by the promontory, as expected,
the boats departed. Half an hour later, or just as the Proserpine, after
wearing, had got near the point where the lugger would be again open,
the boats returned and were run up. Presently the two vessels were again
in sight of each other, everything on board of each remaining apparently
_in statu quo._ Thus far, certainly, the stratagem had been adroitly
managed. To add to it, the batteries now fired ten or twelve guns at the
frigate, taking very good care not to hit her; which the Proserpine
returned, under the French ensign, having used the still greater
precaution of drawing the shot. All this was done by an arrangement
between Winchester and Andrea Barrofaldi, and with the sole view to
induce Raoul Yvard to fancy that he was still believed to be an
Englishman by the worthy vice-governatore, while the ship in the offing
was taken for an enemy. A light air from the southward, which lasted
from eight to nine o'clock, allowed the frigate to get somewhat more of
an offing the while, placing her seemingly beyond the reach of danger.

During the prevalence of the light air mentioned, Raoul Yvard did not