, and from the appearance of the sky there appeared
every probability that the calm would continue. We immediately set the
men to work with paint brushes and tar brushes, made them scrub the
decks, and black down the rigging. We then exercised them at the guns.
They were thus employed when, looking to the southward, I caught sight
of a white sail rising above the horizon.

"She can't move without wind, and if so, she'll be bringing up a
breeze," observed Dick. "We shall soon be throwing the spray over our
bows as we make way again through the water."

Still the ship lay as immovable as before, her masts and spars, her
black rigging, her white sails and shining hull reflected on the
glass-like surface; at the same time the stranger got closer and closer,
and now her topsails appeared, next her courses.

"She's a big craft, that; twice the size of the _Good Hope_, I opine,"
observed Martin. "If she's a friend, she may bring us news, but if
she's an enemy we shall have to up stick and run for it."

"Not until we see how many teeth she carries," said the captain, who
overheard the remark. "Big as she is, the _Good Hope_ may be able to
tackle her."

While we were speaking, our loftier canvas began to swell and flutter,
then the topsails and courses napped against the masts, and cat's-paws
ran playfully over the water. Presently ripples were seen on all sides,
and every sail swelled out. The ship gathered way, but instead of
keeping before the wind, the captain ordered the maintopsail to be
backed, and we lay to waiting for the stranger, while our white flag
with a red-cross was run up to the peak. Hardly had it blown out than
the approaching ship showed her colours, and the design of a crescent
moon proved that she was Turkish, or belonged to Tunis, Tripoli, or some
other of the Barbary States.

"My lads," cried Lancelot, "we shall probably have to fight yonder ship
if she proves what I suppose her to be. If we capture her we shall
obtain a rich prize. If she takes us, we shall have our throats cut, or
be carried into slavery."

"We will fight her, and beat her," cried the men, and they gave
utterance to a loud cheer.

"Brace round the main-yard, then," cried the captain, and the ship stood
on close-hauled, ready to tack, so that if possible we might gain the
weather-gauge. The stranger seeing this altered her course, in order to
prevent our doing what we proposed. At length, finding that we could
not g