king down soon, and we shall just
check it across. She'll walk along all the faster, too, with the wind
on the starboard-quarter, and no risk of jibing. We'll take a pull at
the main-sheet, Mr Gerrard. Now we'll ease off the squaresail sheet.
That'll do, sir. Now the sail stands beautifully."

O'Grady wisely followed Reuben's advice, and took no notice of his doing
things which were so clearly right without orders.

The sloop was now steering about north-east by north, and should the
Frenchman stand a little to the westward of north, the two vessels would
soon be out of sight of each other. Reuben declared that he could still
see the enemy now making all sail in chase, but could not tell exactly
how she was standing. It was anxious work. O'Grady made her out, as
well as Reuben, and all hoped devoutly that she was a slow sailer. They
kept the little vessel on a steady course, and for an hour or more
scarcely a word was uttered. Sometimes Reuben lost sight of the enemy;
but before long she was again seen. It proved that she did not sail
very fast, and that the course they had taken was suspected. Thus hour
after hour they stood on, till dawn began to break.

"It's all up with us if she sees us now," cried O'Grady. "But I vote we
die game any how, and not give in while there's one of us alive to steer
the craft."

The increasing daylight soon revealed them to the Frenchman, who at once
began blazing away in a manner which showed that the long chase they had
given him had made him not a little angry. The shot, however, fell
short; but he on this made more sail, and soon gained on them. He
ceased firing for half an hour or more, and then again began, the shot
flying by on either side, or over the mast-head. They came, indeed,
much too near to be pleasant. Reuben took the helm, and the two
midshipmen stood facing their enemy, knowing that any moment might be
their last; still, however, as resolved as at first not to yield. In
another twenty minutes or half an hour they must be killed or prisoners;
escape seemed out of the question.

"I wish that I could let my father, and mother, and brothers, and
sisters at Ballyshannon know what has become of me," said Paddy, with a
sigh.

"And I wish that I could have again seen my dear mamma," said Paul, "and
my sweet sister Mary, and jolly old Fred, and Sarah, and John, and
pretty little Ann. They know that I am a midshipman, and I suppose that
that will be some