“What ship’s that?—­and whither bound?”

“Dawn, of New York, Miles Wallingford, from home to Hamburg.”

“Did not the lugger board you?”

“Ay—­ay—­for the second time, in three days.”

“What is she called?—­and what is her force?”

“Le Polisson, of Brest—­sixteen light guns, and about a hundred men.”

“Do you know anything of the ships to windward?”

“Nothing, at all; but I suppose them to be French.”

“Pray, sir, why do you sup—­um—­um—­ook—­ook—­”

The distance prevented my hearing more.  Away went the sloop, steadying her bow-lines; the call piping belay, as each sail was trimmed to the officer of the deck’s fancy.  In a few more minutes, we could not distinguish even the shrill notes of that instrument.  The corvette continued on in chase of the lugger, regardless of the four other vessels, though the two to windward now showed the tri-color, and fired guns of defiance.

Mons. Gallois soon after tacked, evidently disposed to stand for the frigates of his country; when the sloop-of-war immediately went round, also, heading up towards these very vessels, determined to cut off the lugger, even if it were to be done by venturing within range of the shot of her protectors.  It was a bold manoeuvre, and deserved success, if it were only for its spirit and daring.

I thought, however, that the frigates of the tri-color paid very little attention to the lugger.  By altering their course a trifle, it would have been in their power to cover her completely from the attempts of the corvette; but, instead of doing this, they rather deviated a little the other way, as if desirous of approaching the two ships to leeward, on the side that would prevent their being cut off from the land.  As neither party seemed disposed to take any notice of us, we filled our top-sail, and stood out of the circle, under easy canvass, believing it bad policy to have an appearance of haste.  Haste, however, was a thing out of our power, it requiring time for four men to make sail.

About eleven, or half-past eleven, the four frigates were distant from each other rather more than a league—­the Dawn being just then half a league from the two Frenchmen, and rather more distant from the English.  Had an action then commenced, we might have been a mile out of the line of fire.  Curious to know the result, I stood on a short distance farther, and backed my top-sail, to await the issue.  I was influenced to take this course, from an expectation that either party, after a conflict with an equal, would be less disposed to molest a neutral, and that I might possibly obtain assistance from the conqueror—­few cruisers being found at that day, without having foreigners on board, that they would be willing to give to a vessel in distress.  As for the account I meant to give to the party to whom I intended to apply, it would depend on circumstances.  If the French remained on the spot, I could relate the affair with the prize-crew of the Speedy; if the English, that of the Polisson.  In neither case would an untruth be told, though certain collateral facts might be, and probably would have been, suppressed.