Surcoeuf," replied Captain
Oughton, who, with the rest of his officers, had his glass upon the
vessel. "There goes the tricoloured flag to prove I've won my bet.
Answer the challenge. Toss my hat up.--Pshaw! I mean hoist the colours
there abaft. Mr Thomas," continued Captain Oughton, addressing the
boatswain, "send the ship's company aft.--Forster, you had better see
the ladies down below."

At the summons of the boatswain, the men came aft, and stood in a body
on the leeside of the quarterdeck, with their hats off, and impatience
in their looks.

"Now, my lads," said Captain Oughton, "if I am not mistaken, that vessel
is commanded by the very best seaman that ever left a French port, and
to do him justice, he's a damnation fine fellow!--a severe punisher, and
can take a mauling as well as give one."

"Yes, sir, so can we," replied several of the men together.

"I know you can, my lads; and give and take is fair play. All I say is,
let it be a fair stand up fight, and `may the best man win.' So now, my
lads, if you're ready to come to the scratch, why, the sooner we peel
the better--that's all."

"Hurrah!" cried the seamen, as they separated to their quarters; and, in
compliance with the injunctions of the captain, threw off their jackets,
and many of them their shirts, to prepare for the conflict.

The corvette, after she had rounded to, and exchanged colours, reduced
her sails to precisely the same canvas as that carried by the _Windsor
Castle_. This was to try her rate of sailing. In a quarter of an hour,
her superiority was manifest. She then hauled up her courses, and
dropped to her former position on the _Windsor Castle's_ weather-beam.

"The fellow has the heels of us, at all events," observed Captain
Oughton; "but, Forster, the ladies are not yet below. Mrs Enderby, I
am sorry to be obliged to put you in confinement for a short time. Miss
Revel, you must do me the favour to accept of Mr Forster's convoy below
the water-line."

Newton offered his arm to Isabel, and followed Captain Oughton, who
escorted Mrs Enderby. His heart was swelling with such variety of
feeling that he could not at first trust himself to speak. When they
had descended the ladder, and were picking their way, stepping over the
rammers, sponges, and tackles, stretched across the main-deck, Newton
observed--"This is not the first time I have been commissioned to place
you in security. I trust I shall again have the pleasu