aying
_thankee_," dryly remarked Hardy.

"I doubt whether he has his broadside guns cleared away, yet," I
remarked; "and even if he has we are a very small target to fire at. I
feel half inclined to take a shot at him if we get a good chance. At
all events, you may clear away the long nine and load it; we can then be
governed by circumstances."

No sooner said than done. The men set to work with all the glee of a
parcel of school-boys intent upon some piece of mischief, and in a very
short time the long nine-pounder mounted amidships was ready for service
and loaded.

In the meantime pursuer and pursued continued their rapid flight down
before the wind; both ships staggering along under a press of canvas
which clearly indicated the alarm of the one and the determination of
the other. As we stood watching them in breathless interest, the
weather cleared somewhat; the dense canopy of cloud which had obscured
the heavens for many hours broke up into rifts which permitted an
occasional watery gleam of sunshine to penetrate through and light up
the scene, glancing in streaks and patches here and there upon the
mountain-surges, and changing their dull leaden hue into a dirty green,
and shimmering for a moment upon the snowy canvas and bright copper of
one or other of the frigates, only to fade away next instant and leave
the picture, as it was before, a dull lifeless grey.

By the time that the French ship had approached to within a mile of us,
it became evident that if we both continued on our respective courses,
without any alteration in our speeds, we should pass within perilous
proximity of each other; the "Vigilant's" fore-sheet was therefore let
draw and the helm righted, so that we might forge ahead and cross the
flying craft at a safe distance.

She was yawing about most frightfully, sheering first to port and then
to starboard in a manner which seemed every moment to threaten that she
would broach-to. Should such an accident occur in the then condition of
the weather the total dismasting of the ship would be the least calamity
which could reasonably be expected to follow; while it was far more
probable that she would either capsize or founder stern foremost. The
steering of the English ship was in marked contrast to this, though she
also sheered about to a certain extent; still, it was so trifling in
comparison with that of the Frenchman, that it appeared to us as though
the Englishman was gaining upon th