to the westward. The boat was
now close hauled. If not seen by the frigate, it was scarcely to be
hoped that she would cut her off on the other tack. The gloom of
evening was coming on also, causing the small sails of the boat to be
less discernible.

"They'll not see us," sighed Rawson. "And as to this wretched little
craft living out such a night as we are going to have, that's a sheer
impossibility."

"The craft has carried us thus far in safety, and may carry us into
Penzance or Falmouth harbour, I hope, even if we do miss the frigate,"
observed Morton. "We shouldn't so mistrust Providence, I think."

"You think, you youngster!" said Rawson, contemptuously. "You haven't
been tried as I have."

"But Rawson, suppose we are preserved. What will you Bay then?"

"That we have obtained more than we deserve," answered the old mate, as
if involuntarily.

"The frigate sees us," shouted Job Truefitt, from forward, making use of
a very common nautical figure of speech. "There's port the helm--square
away the yards--she'll be down to us in a jiffy."

"Time she was too," observed Rawson, and he was right, for the gloom was
increasing, the rising sea was tumbling and pitching the boat about, and
even with two reefs down she could scarcely look up to her canvas.

The frigate, however, had not shortened sail, and on she came, looming
large through the midst as she ploughed her way with irresistible force
across the intervening space of tumbling foam-covered seas. Mr Calder
gave the necessary orders to prepare for going alongside. It was a work
of no little danger. The frigate had now got within a few hundred
fathoms of the boat. Her canvas was reduced, and the helm being put
down she rounded-to, and there she lay, dipping away heavily into the
seas, making it appear to a landsman an utter impossibility to get near
her, and even to a seaman a dangerous undertaking. The boat's sails
were lowered, and, if it could have been done, the mast would have been
unstepped and pitched overboard; the oars were got out, and the boat
approached the side of the frigate. Numerous friendly hands were ready
to heave ropes for their assistance from various parts of the sides,
from the chains and ports.

"Now give way, my good lads!" shouted Mr Calder, seeing that not a
moment was to be lost.

The men pulled on, but the ship at the moment plunged forward, and the
boat dropped astern. Should this again occur they might lose th