t exactly help us, we'll hope to
escape, and that none of the dreadful things you expect will happen,"
said Gerald.

Though Gerald made light of the matter, others on board did not do so.
From the first Owen had had little doubt that the ship chasing them was
French. The captain differed from him, but agreed that she was probably
a privateer. Though her masts raked, so did those of many British
ships, especially of those sailing from Jersey and Guernsey, while there
was nothing that he could see remarkable about the cut of her sails.
The second mate expressed no opinion. After a time, however, a cloud
was seen to gather on his brow.

"I thought you boasted of this craft being remarkably fast," he observed
to Owen. "Now, as far as I can judge, that ship yonder is sailing
nearly two feet to our one, and will be within hail of us before dark."

"She sails faster than we do, I acknowledge; but you over-estimate her
speed," answered Owen. "I still expect that we shall keep well ahead of
her till dark, and we may then alter our course and escape."

"I tell you your hopes are vain; yonder ship is as fast a craft as any
out of a French port--we haven't a chance of escaping her," replied Mr
Carnegan.

"You know her, then?" answered Owen.

"I have seen her more than once--before the war broke out, of course--
and, from her size and the weight of her metal, if we attempt to fight
her we shall be sent to the bottom," was the answer.

"The captain intends to try and knock her spars away, and thus to enable
us to escape," said Owen.

"She is more likely to send our masts over the side than to suffer any
harm our popguns can do her," observed the second mate.

Captain Tracy, who had been watching the stranger for some time, now
summoned them both and asked their opinion. They repeated what they had
before said. "Owen, we can trust our crew?" he observed.

"Even the sick men would be ready to fight--we can depend on all of
them," said Owen.

"Then we'll train two guns aft, and fight them as long as our own masts
stand," exclaimed Captain Tracy. "Hoist our ensign, that there may be
no mistake--though I own that I have now little doubt of that fellow
being a Frenchman. We shall soon see--yes--there, up goes the white
flag with the lilies of France; it won't be long before she is within
range."

"I think not, sir," observed the second mate, "and if you take my advice
you will not attempt to fight--even if we do kno