" said the captain. Ellen
did not reply, but the thought--and to her it was an agitating one--
immediately occurred to her mind, "The _Champion_ will surely attack the
French ship." It was confirmed by the next remark her father made.

"If so, the Frenchman will have to fight for it, for Captain Olding is
not likely to let him go without questioning him," said Mr Ferris.

"But where do you think, my friend, we shall be in that case?" asked
Captain O'Brien. "Thurot will scarcely send us on shore first in one of
his boats, and I see no signs of our own."

"Could we not get him to make a signal for a boat from the shore? He
surely will not detain my daughter, with the prospect of having to fight
his ship," exclaimed Mr Ferris, becoming anxious. "How mad I was to
allow her to remain!"

"Do not be alarmed about me. I trust that we shall have no difficulty
in getting on board the _Champion_ should she enter the harbour," said
Ellen.

"We may be confident that Thurot will not wait for her here," said
Captain O'Brien; "but I will go on deck and get him without delay to
make a signal for a boat from the shore, if ours are not in sight. If
they are, he will probably wait for them."

On going on deck Captain O'Brien found that the corvette had slipped her
cable, that the topsails were set, and that the crew were aloft loosing
the other sails. Still, in spite of the wide folds of canvas which were
rapidly spread on the ship, the wind was so light that she made but
little way. There was yet time for a boat to come off from the shore,
and Captain Thurot without hesitation made a signal as he was requested,
firing a gun to draw attention. No boat however, appeared.

"Captain Thurot," exclaimed Captain O'Brien, going up to him, "I must
beg that you will send Miss Ferris and her father on shore before you
leave the harbour. It would be terrible to expose her to all the risks
of a battle--and that you will be engaged in one with yonder ship, I
have no doubt. She is a British ship of war, and is sure to attack you
when she finds out your character."

"But I intend to avoid her if I possibly can, and if compelled to fight,
I will place Miss Ferris and you two gentlemen in as safe a position as
we can find on board," said Captain Thurot.

"The safest, however, would not be satisfactory under the
circumstances," replied Captain O'Brien. Captain Thurot looked greatly
annoyed.

"I know that," he said, "but it is necess