England at the head of his partisans--by my faith,
Chemerant, my friend, that was left to you to do! Your fortune, already
on the road to success, behold it forever assured; this good success
delights me the more that the king regards this affair as important.
Once more, bravo!"

Chemerant with a light and joyful heart slept, cradled by the most
pleasing and ambitious thoughts.

It was half-past ten in the morning; the wind was fresh, the sea a
little rough, but very beautiful; the Thunderer left behind her a
shining wake. The land was no longer to be seen. The ship was in
mid-ocean.

The officer of the watch, armed with a glass, examined with attention a
three-masted vessel about two cannon shots distant, which kept precisely
the same route as the frigate and sailed as quickly as she did, although
carrying a few light sails the less.

On the extreme horizon the officer remarked also another ship which he
as yet distinguished vaguely, but which seemed to follow the same
direction as the three-master, whose maneuver we have just pointed out.
Wishing to find out if this latter ship would persist in imitating the
movements of the Thunderer, the officer ordered the man at the wheel to
bear away a little more to the north.

The three-master bore away a little more to the north.

The officer gave orders to bear away to the west.

The three-master bore away to the west.

More annoyed than startled at this persistence, because the three-master
was not capable of a struggle with a frigate, the officer, by the order
of the captain, tacked about and sailed straight down upon the
importunate vessel.

The importunate three-master tacked about also, and continued to
scrupulously imitate the evolutions of the frigate, and sailed in
concert with her, but always beyond reach of her guns.

The captain, irritated by this, veered about and ran straight down upon
the three-master. The three-master proved that she was, if not a better
sailer, at least as good a one as the frigate, which was never able to
shorten the distance between them. The captain, not wishing to lose
precious time in this useless chase, resumed his course.

The vexatious three-master also resumed its course.

This mysterious ship was no other than the peaceable Unicorn. Captain
Daniel, in spite of the refusal of De Chemerant, had judged it proper to
attach himself obstinately to the Thunderer until they reached the open
sea.

A new personage appeared on