e. But for the letter from Bluewater, he would have been
perfectly happy; the success of the day having infused a spirit into the
different vessels, that, of itself, was a pledge of more important
results. Still he determined to act as if that letter had never been
written, finding it impossible to believe that one who had so long been
true, could really fail him in the hour of need. "I know his heart
better than he knows it himself," he caught himself mentally exclaiming,
"and before either of us is a day older, this will I prove to him, to
his confusion and my triumph." He had several short and broken
conversations with Wycherly in the course of the afternoon, with a view
to ascertain, if possible, the real frame of mind in which his friend
had written, but without success, the young man frankly admitting that,
owing to a confusion of thought that he modestly attributed to himself,
but which Sir Gervaise well knew ought in justice to be imputed to
Bluewater, he had not been able to bring away with him any very clear
notions of the rear-admiral's intentions.

In the mean while, the elements were beginning to exhibit another of
their changeful humours. A gale in summer is seldom of long duration,
and twenty-four hours would seem to be the period which nature had
assigned to this. The weather had moderated materially by the time the
review had taken place, and five hours later, not only had the sea
subsided to a very reasonable swell, but the wind had hauled several
points; coming out a fresh top-gallant breeze at north-west. The French
fleet wore soon after, standing about north-east-by-north, on an easy
bowline. They had been active in repairing damages, and the admiral was
all a-tanto again, with every thing set that the other ships carried.
The plight of le Scipion was not so easily remedied, though even she had
two jury-masts rigged, assistance having been sent from the other
vessels as soon as boats could safely pass. As the sun hung in the
western sky, wanting about an hour of disappearing from one of the long
summer days of that high latitude, this ship set a mizzen-top-sail in
the place of a main, and a fore-top-gallant-sail in lieu of a
mizzen-top-sail. Thus equipped, she was enabled to keep company with her
consorts, all of which were under easy canvass, waiting for the night to
cover their movements.

Sir Gervaise Oakes had made the signal for his fleet to tack in
succession, from the rear to the van, about