y bowline.

The "Scourge" was an exceedingly smart little brig under her canvas; and
when the additional sail had been set and every brace, sheet, tack, and
bowline trimmed with the utmost nicety, it was the general opinion that
she was going a good honest eleven knots. The chase was thought to be
travelling at the rate of four knots at most; it was hoped, therefore,
that when the moon rose we should find ourselves within three or four
miles of her.

The suspense, which we were compelled to endure as best we might, caused
the time to drag heavily on; at length, however, a brightening of the
sky in the eastern quarter proclaimed the welcome approach of the moon.
Slowly--very slowly--the brightness increased, the veil of cloud
breaking up before it, and revealing the sky beyond, all luminous with
silvery radiance. A few more anxious minutes, and the round white disc
of the moon rose slowly upwards into view, flinging a broad path of
light across the tumbling billows, and gleaming pale and ghostly on the
sails of the lugger, which now appeared directly ahead of us, and about
five miles distant.

Instantly every glass in the ship was levelled at the chase; and a
general exclamation of annoyance arose, as, while still engaged in
taking their first long look at her, the pursuers observed a sudden
fluttering of canvas about the mainmast which speedily resolved itself
unmistakably into a lofty well-set mainsail.

"Ah!" ejaculated the skipper, stamping his foot impatiently on the deck,
"they evidently have sharp eyes on board yonder lugger; they must have
seen us the moment that the moon rose."

"Yes," returned the first lieutenant, with his eye still glued to his
glass; "and the sharp eyes appear to belong to an equally sharp crew;
they are shaking out their reefs fore and aft and shifting their jib,
all at the same time. Depend upon it, sir, we shall have to work for
that craft before we get her."

"We shall catch her, Mr Sennitt, never fear," was the cheery response;
"she cannot be above half our size, and will have no chance with us in
such a breeze as this. And I do not anticipate that she is any more
heavily armed than we are, though she may possibly carry a few more men.
Her skipper will of course escape if he can! and when he finds that
impossible, he will, equally of course, fight, and very likely fight
well. Still, I do not think we shall have much difficulty in taking
him."

"In the meantime, however," r