I have a strong suspicion that she is a privateer on the
lookout for some of our homeward-bound vessels. I do not think they
have made us out yet; when I saw her she was jogging easily along under
her fore and mizzen lugs and a small jib. If she does not see us within
the next five minutes, the chances are that she will not make us out at
all until the moon rises, which will not be for quite another hour; by
which time I hope we shall have drawn pretty close up to her."

The lookout was hailed from time to time, to inquire whether the lugger
had made any more sail or not; and each time the cheering reply was,
"Not yet, sir." At length the reply was, "It is too dark to see her
now, sir; but she had not when I lost sight of her."

The brig was now tearing along under single-reefed topsails, courses,
fore-topmast staysail, jib, and spanker, her lee side buried deep in the
foaming brine, and the sea coming bodily in over her bows by tons at a
time. She no longer rose lightly over the opposing waves, but dashed
headlong into them; rushing forward upon her way like a startled
courser.

Every night-glass in the ship was brought into requisition by the eager
officers, in their endeavours to catch an occasional glimpse of the
stranger; but the night had settled down pitchy dark, the sky having
rapidly become obscured by a thick veil of clouds immediately after the
disappearance of the sun below the horizon, so that not so much as a
solitary star was visible; all efforts to get a sight of the chase were
consequently quite in vain. _So_ dark was it that, standing by the
taffrail, it was impossible to see as far as the bows of the ship. Not
a light of any description was permitted on board the "Scourge;" even
the binnacle lights were carefully masked, and Captain Brisac soon began
to manifest a great deal of anxiety at the risk which he was undoubtedly
incurring in thus driving his ship at racing speed through the thick
darkness, without a warning light of any description to indicate her
presence to other craft. He contented himself, however, with placing
five of the sharpest-sighted men on the lookout; namely, one on the
flying-jibboom-end, one on each cat-head, and one on each of the fore-
yardarms.

The bearings of the chase had of course been very accurately taken the
last thing before losing sight of her, when she was estimated to be ten
miles distant, and about two points on the weather bow, going along upon
an eas