e
"Boston" was seen threading her way out through the fleet, and in a few
minutes more she was close abreast of us, the "Juno" bearing up at the
moment which would bring the bows of the two ships exactly level.
Captain Courtenay appeared at the gangway as the "Boston" drew up
alongside, and on our skipper showing himself, hailed "Juno ahoy! are
you ready?"

"Ay, ay," was the response, "we are--aw--quite ready."

"Then--_off_!" shouted the "Boston's" skipper, and at the word down came
his topgallant sheets, the yards going up at the same moment, and the
royal sheets fluttering down into their berths, as the yards rose to
meet them; then up went the royal yards to their respective mast-heads,
the courses dropped heavily down, the staysails and flying-jib slid up
their stays, and the driver was hauled out, the whole being done with
the regularity and rapidity of a well-oiled and easy-working machine.

In the meantime our own hands had not been idle, and under Mr
Annesley's able manipulation the "Juno" proved herself quite as smart as
her antagonist in spreading her snowy pinions.

From that moment all was pleasant excitement on board as the two ships
slid gently along side by side within hailing distance of each other.
Speculation was rife, and the most diverse opinions as to the issue of
the trial were expressed both on the quarter-deck and the forecastle.
The "Boston" had the name of being a tolerably smart craft, but during
the run down the Solent neither ship appeared able to claim any very
decided advantage over the other, sometimes one and sometimes the other
drawing a trifle ahead. On arriving off "Egypt" we were able to edge
away a little, and then stunsails were set on the starboard side in both
ships, still, however, without altering our relative positions.

As the sun declined toward the horizon the wind gradually dropped,
finally dying away altogether, and leaving us absolutely motionless save
for the drift of the ebb-tide, which still swept us along to the
westward. It was a magnificent evening, the water, smooth as glass,
reflecting on its glittering surface an absolutely unbroken picture of
our stately consort, with every snowy sail, every spar and rope, as
clearly shown as though she were reposing on the polished surface of a
gigantic mirror. The western sky, glowing with tints of the clearest,
palest amber melting into a delicate rose, which merged in its turn
imperceptibly into a clear, deep, tran