was going nearly two
feet to our one, but she was steered so shamefully that she had not
materially decreased the distance between us at the end of the first
hour; our hopes, therefore, which had sunk to zero with the imminent
prospect of a French prison before our eyes, began once more to soar
skyward as mile after mile slipped away beneath our flying keel, and
every minute increased the probability of our falling in with one of our
own cruisers. The skipper was dreadfully put out at being obliged to
run away, but though the French frigate was very nearly dead astern she
yawed about sufficiently to enable us to count sixteen ports of a side,
and even Mr Sennitt--who was accounted the greatest fire-eater on
board--was fain to acknowledge that this was just a gun or two too many
for us.

By four bells every trace of the fog had cleared away, the sun shone
brilliantly in a cloudless sky, the air had a decided feeling of warmth
in it, the westerly breeze blew freshly, and the waves curled crisply
and broke into foam at their crests under its enlivening influence;
altogether it was a thoroughly delightful day, such as is occasionally
to be met with toward the end of March--a day when winter and summer
have fairly met to fight for the mastery, and summer is getting it all
her own way. As time sped on, and still no friendly sail appeared,
while the frigate astern drew more and more perceptibly up to us,
anxiety once more resumed its sway, and frequent were the admonitions to
the lookout aloft to "keep his weather eye lifting."

At length the Frenchmen decided to try the range of their guns, and
opened fire upon us from their lee bow-chaser. The shot flew wide, but
it went far enough beyond us to show that we were fairly within range.
Another and another followed, and still we were unscathed. An interval
of about a quarter of an hour elapsed before they again fired, and when
they did the shot was somewhat better aimed, passing through the main
and fore-topsails and falling into the sea a considerable distance
ahead.

"I think we are now near enough to venture upon a return of the
compliment, Mr Sennitt," said the skipper. "Let Tompion see what he
can do with the stern-chaser, in the way of knocking away some of the
fellow's spars. It seems a pity to spoil so pretty a picture, but
better that than for us to experience the delights of a French prison."

Tompion was accordingly summoned and bid do his best to "wing" th