, Mr Strickland.

"No doubt about it, sir," was the answer; "she is, however, I suspect,
rather larger, but so much the better. There is little honour in
capturing a Frenchman of one's own size. That we are of course expected
to do. We should be thankful when we fall in with an antagonist of
superior strength."

"You are right, Strickland," exclaimed the captain, warmly. "Back the
maintopsail and fire a gun towards her. The signal of defiance will be
understood, and if her captain has a spark of courage, he'll come out
and meet us."

With colours flying, the British frigate lay-to off the Frenchman's
port. While thus defying the enemy a large schooner was seen standing
along shore and apparently making for the harbour.

"We'll take her before their very noses, and if that does not rouse
them, I do not know what will," observed the captain, as he gave the
orders to make sail in chase.

The schooner, little expecting to be snapped up by an enemy in the very
sight of port, endeavoured in vain to escape. The "Thisbe," like an
eagle towards its prey, flew after her, and in a short time she was a
prize.

Taking out the prisoners and putting a prize crew on board, Captain
Courtney stood back, with the schooner in tow, towards the mouth of the
harbour; then again firing another shot of defiance, he bore away to the
westward.

"The Frenchmen will bear a great deal, but they will not bear that,"
observed Morton to his son. "Before this time tomorrow we shall either
be inside that harbour, feeling very much ashamed of ourselves--and I
don't think that is likely to happen--or we shall have that frigate in
there for our prize, and be standing away with her for old England."

The "Thisbe" had got some eight miles or so away from the land, when the
French frigate was seen under sail and standing towards her. Captain
Courtney was anxious to draw the enemy as far from the coast as
possible, lest, when the hoped-for result of the action should become
known, notice might be sent of the event to other ports to the
northward, and a superior force despatched to capture him. He
accordingly hove-to occasionally, and then stood on to entice the enemy
after him.

When the evening closed in, the Frenchman was in sight about two leagues
off, coming up astern. The "Thisbe," now casting off the prize, stood
towards her. At this time there was no other sail in sight, with the
exception of a small boat, apparently a fishing boa