as officer of the
watch. "The flags are up--they are not our pennants."

It was an order to four ships of the fleet to run down and examine the
strange vessels.

Half an hour elapsed, during which time the glasses were at every
mast-head. Captain Drawlock himself, although not much given to
climbing, having probably had enough of it during his long career in the
service, was to be seen in the main-top. Doubts, suspicions,
declarations, surmises, and positive assertions were bandied about,
until they were all dispelled by the reconnoitring ships telegraphing,
"a French squadron, consisting of one line-of-battle ship, three
frigates, and a brig." It was, in fact, the well-known squadron of
Admiral Linois, who had scoured the Indian seas, ranging it up and down
with the velocity as well as the appetite of a shark. His force
consisted of the _Marengo_, of eighty guns; the famed _Belle Poule_, a
forty-gun frigate, which outstripped the wind; the _Semillante_, of
thirty-six guns; the _Berceau_, ship corvette, of twenty-two, and a brig
of sixteen. They had sailed from Batavia on purpose to intercept the
China fleet, having received intelligence that it was unprotected, and
anticipating an easy conquest, if not an immediate surrender to their
overpowering force.

"The recall is up on board of the commodore," said Mathews, the
first-mate, to Captain Drawlock.

"Very well, keep a good look-out; he intends to fight, I'll answer for
it. We must not surrender up millions to these French scoundrels
without a tussle."

"I should hope not," replied Mathews; "but that big fellow will make a
general average among our tea canisters, I expect when we do come to the
scratch. There go the flags, sir," continued Mathews, repeating the
number to Captain Drawlock, who had the signal-book in his hand.

"Form line of battle in close order, and prepare for action," read
Captain Drawlock from the signal-book.

A cheer resounded through the fleet when the signal was made known. The
ships were already near enough to each other to hear the shouting, and
the confidence of others added to their own.

"If we only had _all_ English seamen on board, instead of these Lascars
and Chinamen, who look so blank," observed Newton to Mathews, "I think
we should show them some play."

"Yes," growled Mathews; "John Company will some day find out the truth
of the old proverb, `Penny wise and pound foolish!'"

The French squadron, which had conti