ive rates
of speed, the frigate, whose course made a slight angle with that of
the ship of the line, would probably cross the bows of the latter
within range of her battery. None of the opposing vessels showed any
flags as yet, and their movements completely mystified Captain Vincent.

"Certainly a most extraordinary performance going on there!" he said,
after a long look through his glass, which he then handed to the
colonel. "They show no flags, but I cannot conceive of their being
anything but a squadron or a convoy of ours. What do you make them
out, Colonel Wilton?"

Now, the colonel was morally certain that they were Americans, or, at
least, that the first and nearest one was an American ship. He had
been one of the naval committee which had taken charge of the building
of the men-of-war ordered by Congress in '75; he had seen the Randolph
frequently on the ways and after she was launched, and was entirely
familiar with her lines. Perhaps the wish also was father to the
thought, for the old soldier was not sufficiently versed in nautical
affairs to detect at that distance the great disparity in force between
the two ships, to which for the moment he gave no thought, or he would
not have entertained hopes for a release from confinement by
recapture,--a patent impossibility to a seaman. So he answered the
captain evasively, returning the glass and pleading his ignorance of
nautical matters to excuse his indefinite opinion.

"It must be the Carrysford, with Hythe's squadron; she is a thirty-two.
But why they should act this way, I cannot see. He must know what we
are now, as there are no ships of our size in these waters, except our
own, and why should he send the rest of them off there? They are
leaving us pretty fast, except that brig. Now, if it were a colonial
convoy, I should say that this frigate was going to engage us in the
hope of so crippling us as to effect the escape of the rest; but I
hardly think that your men are up to that yet."

"Think not?" said the colonel indifferently, violently repressing an
inclination to strike him. "It may be as you say, Captain Vincent;
still, I think we are up to almost anything that you are."

"Oh, colonel," laughed the captain, good-naturedly, "you are not going
to compare the little colonial forces with his majesty's navy, are you!
Now, I am morally certain that is a king's ship. See the beautiful set
of her sails, the enormous spread of the yards; notice