ometimes showing white feathers.

The sequel proved that the captain acted with the greatest judgment. To
our utter astonishment, we came up hand over hand with a vessel which we
before had shrewd suspicions, could, going free sail very nearly as well
as ourselves. Of course, we were now fast leaving the convoy; we found
that the felucca had worked herself dead to windward, and was, by this
time, nearly out of gun-shot of the _Curlew_, and, that the _faineant_
strange schooner had now made sail, and was on such a course as
approximated her fast to the other privateer.

The large vessel, perceiving our attention solely directed to the
capture, shortened sail and made demonstrations of rescue. At this, Mr
Farmer grinned savage approbation, and, not yet having had a good view
of her hull, we all thought, from her conduct, that she was conscious of
force. We were, therefore, doubly on the alert in seeing everything in
the very best order for fighting. The bulk-heads of the captain's cabin
were knocked down, and the sheep, pigs, and poultry, gingerly ushered
into the hold, preparatory to the demolition of their several pens,
styes, and coops, on the main deck. All this I found very amusing, but
I must confess to a little anxiety, and, younker as I was, I knew, if we
came to action, that the eighty or ninety men, away in the boats, would
be very severely felt. I was also sorry for the absence of Mr Silva,
as I had a great, yet puerile curiosity, to see how a man that had
written a book, would fight.

The run of an hour and a-half brought us nearly alongside the _Prince
William_, when we expected, at the least, a ten hour's chase. It was
well we came up so soon; the Frenchman had clapped forty as ill-looking
savage vagabonds on board of her, as ever made a poor fellow walk the
plank. They had fully prepared themselves for sinking the cutter, as
soon as she could come alongside, and their means for doing so were most
ample.

As our prisoners came up the sides, we soon discovered by the shabby,
faded, and rent uniforms of the two officers among them, that they
belonged to the French imperial service. They bore their reverse of
fortune, notwithstanding they belonged to a philosophical nation, with a
very despicable philosophy. They stamped with rage, and ground their
_sacres_ unceasingly between their teeth. They could not comprehend how
so fine a looking vessel should sail so much like a haystack. The
mystery wa