r immediately shook
out all her reefs, set her lofty sails, hoisted French colours, and, in
a few minutes, a shot whizzed through the rigging of the Estelle, and
pitched into the water ahead of them.

"I thought so," cried Roberts. "It's a Johnny Crapeau. A starn chase
is a long chase, anyhow. The brig sails well, and there ain't more than
two hours daylight; so Monsieur must be quick, or we'll give him the
slip yet."

The privateer was now within a mile of them; both vessels had "got their
way;" and their respective powers of sailing were to be ascertained. In
half an hour the privateer had neared to three quarters of a mile.

"I think our little guns will soon reach her," observed Newton.
"Williams, give me the helm. Go forward with Roberts and the men, and
rouse them aft. Be smart, my lads, for she has the heels of us."

"Come along," said Roberts. "You, Collins, why don't you stir?--do you
wish to see the inside of a French prison?"

"No," replied Collins, sauntering forward, "not particularly."

"Only by way of a change, I suppose," observed Thompson, another of the
convicts. "You have been in every gaol in England, to my knowledge--
havn't you, Ben?"

"Mayhap I have," replied Collins; "but one gentleman should never
interfere with the consarns of another. I warn't whipped at the
cart-tail, as you were, last Lancaster 'sizes."

"No; but you had a taste of it on board of the Terpsichore. Ben, you
aren't forgot that?" retorted Hillson, the other of the three characters
who had been sent with Newton.

In a few minutes the guns were run aft, and the ammunition brought on
deck. Newton then gave the helm to Williams, and served one gun; while
Roberts took charge of the other. The privateer had continued to near
them, and was now within their range. A smart fire was kept up on her,
which she returned with her superior metal.

After the firing had commenced, the approach of the privateer was in
some degree checked. The guns fired from the stern of the Estelle
assisted her velocity through the water; while, on the contrary, the
privateer, being obliged to yaw from her course that her guns might
bear, and firing from the bow, her impetus was checked. Still the
privateer had the advantage in sailing, and slowly neared the brig.

"There's no need of your coming aft so close upon us," said Roberts to
the two Frenchmen who had been sent on board; "go forward, and keep out
of the way. That 'ere chap i