As soon as the Windsor Castle was hove-to, the courses of the enemy were seen to flutter a few moments in the breeze, and then the canvas was expanded.  When the vessel had gathered sufficient way, she hove in stays, and crossed the Windsor Castle on the opposite tack.

“I thought so,” observed Captain Oughton.  “The fellow knows what he is about.  He’ll not ‘put his head in chancery,’ that’s clear.  How cautious the rascal is!  It’s very like the first round of a fight—­much manoeuvring and wary sparring before they begin to make play.”

The corvette stood on the opposite tack until well abaft the beam.  She then wore round, and ranged up on the weather quarter of the Indiaman.  When within two cables’ length of the Windsor Castle, who had, a little before, filled her main-topsail to be in command, the Frenchman hauled up his foresail, and discovered his lower rigging manned by the ship’s company, who gave a loud but hasty cheer, and then disappeared.

One cock crowing is a challenge, sure to be answered, if the antagonist is game.  The English seamen sprang up to return the compliment, when Captain Oughton roared out, “To your guns, you fools!  Hard down with the helm—­fly the jib-sheet—­check headbraces—­look out now, my lads.”

The corvette had already put her helm up and paid off to pass under the stern of the Windsor Castle, with the intention of raking her.  The promptitude of Captain Oughton foiled the manoeuvre of the Frenchman; which would have been more fatal had the English seamen been in the rigging to have been swept off by his grape-shot.  As the Windsor Castle was thrown up on the wind, an exchange of broadsides took place, which, according to the usual custom of all well regulated broadsides in close conflict, cut away a certain proportion of the spars and rigging, and cut up a proportion of the ships’ companies.  The Windsor Castle, worked by Newton, bracing round on the other tack, and the corvette rounding to on the same, the two vessels separated for a few minutes.

“Devilish well stopped, Newton, wasn’t it?” said Captain Oughton, showing his white teeth.  “Look out again—­here she comes.”

The corvette again attempted to rake as she ranged up after tacking, by throwing herself up in the wind; but Captain Oughton, watching the slightest variation of his adversary’s career, gradually edging away, and then putting his helm up, manoeuvred that the broadsides should again be exchanged.  This second exchange was more effectual than the first.

“A stomacher, and both down!” cried Captain Oughton, as he surveyed the deck.  “Be quick, Newton, hand the men below.  Don’t bring her to the wind yet, he has lost his way by luffing up, and cannot make play again for a few minutes.”