ral on purpose, full of his best men.
What a pity we are short-handed!"

"There's enough of us, sir," observed the boatswain.

"Yes," replied Cain, "if there was anything but hard blows to be got;
but that is all, and I cannot spare more men. Ready about!" continued
he, walking aft.

The _Enterprise_, for she was the vessel in pursuit, was then about five
miles distant, steering for the _Avenger_, who was on a wind. As soon
as the _Avenger_ tacked, the _Enterprise_ took in her topmast
studding-sail, and hauled her wind. This brought the _Enterprise_ well
on the weather-quarter of the _Avenger_, who now made all sail. The
pirates, who had had quite enough of fighting, and were not stimulated
by the presence of Hawkhurst, or the wishes of their captain, now showed
as much anxiety to avoid, as they usually did to seek, a combat.

At the first trial of sailing between the two schooners there was no
perceptible difference; for half an hour they both continued on a wind,
and when Edward Templemore examined his sextant a second time, he could
not perceive that he had gained upon the _Avenger_ one cable's length.

"We will keep away half a point," said Edward to his second in command.
"We can afford that, and still hold the weather-gage."

The _Enterprise_ was kept away, and increased her speed: they neared the
_Avenger_ more than a quarter of a mile.

"They are nearing us," observed Francisco; "we must keep away a point."

Away went the _Avenger_, and would have recovered her distance, but the
_Enterprise_ was again steered more off the wind.

Thus did they continue altering their course until the studding-sails
below and aloft were set by both, and the position of the schooners was
changed; the _Enterprise_ now being on the starboard instead of the
larboard quarter of the _Avenger_. The relative distance between the
two schooners was, however, nearly the same, that is, about three miles
and a half from each other; and there was every prospect of a long and
weary chase on the part of the _Enterprise_, who again kept away a point
to near the _Avenger_.

Both vessels were now running to the eastward.

It was about an hour before dark that another sail hove in sight right
a-head of the _Avenger_, and was clearly made out to be a frigate. The
pirates were alarmed at this unfortunate circumstance, as there was
little doubt but that she would prove a British cruiser; and, if not,
they had equally reason to expect t