nterest in those stirring times,
when all knew that apparent trifles often led to something important.

The boat appeared to be that of a merchantman. Six men were in her;
four were pulling, and two sat in the sternsheets. One of these was a
wrinkled, wiry old man, with a big red nightcap on his head, and a huge
green and yellow comforter round his throat, while a thick flushing coat
and trousers, and high boots, concealed the rest of his form. The other
looked like the master of a merchantman. As soon as they got alongside,
the latter begged that the boat might be hoisted up. This was done; and
while the other men went forward among the crew, he and his
strange-looking companion repaired aft to the Captain's cabin. The
information they gave seemed to afford infinite satisfaction to Captain
Garland. Several of his officers were breakfasting with him.

"I trust, gentlemen, that, before many days have passed, we shall fall
in with another enemy's frigate, a worthy antagonist for the _Ruby_," he
remarked as soon as they were seated. "We have also on board, I am
happy to say, one of the most experienced pilots for the Channel Islands
and the French coast to the westward--a Guernsey man; and, what is more,
I know that he is thoroughly to be trusted. He and his companions were
on board a merchant vessel, captured by a French privateer; and as the
enemy leaped on the deck on one side, they slipped over the bulwarks on
the other, and, favoured by the darkness, effected their escape. I
propose to run over to the French coast, and watch off Cherbourg for the
return of two French frigates, which, I understand, robber-like, go out
every night and return into harbour in the morning."

At first the crew were very much inclined to laugh at the odd appearance
of the old pilot; but Paul Pringle soon got into conversation with him,
and gave it as his opinion that the little finger of the old Guernsey
man knew more than a dozen of their heads put together, both as to
seamanship and as to the navigation of the adjacent coasts. It quickly
became known that there was something in the wind, and that the Captain
hoped to fall in with another enemy before long.

Cape Barfleur, to the westward of Cherbourg, was made during the night.
The wind was off shore, and the _Ruby_ was close-hauled on the larboard
tack, when, as day dawned, a ship and a cutter were seen from her deck
coming in from seaward. All hands were called up, the frig