ight westerly air, which did not reach close
down to the water, and had sent her along two or three knots an hour.
They could see half-way down her courses, and Jack declared his belief
that she was a frigate, but whether English or French he could not
determine.

Unless, however, they were to hoist their sail, they might pass very
close to her without being discovered, and the course she was steering
would take her somewhat to the eastward of them.

They would have to settle the point as to whether she was a friend or
foe, and in the former case whether it would be advisable to hoist their
sail, and made every signal in their power to attract her attention, or
to keep the sail lowered until she was at a distance from them. Bill
had not been convinced that Jack had seen a sail to the southward.

"Whether or not I saw one before, there's one now," cried Jack, "and
pretty near, too, and what's worse, it's a boat, so that they have oars,
and will be coming up with us in spite of the calm."

"They must have had a breeze to get thus far," remarked Bill.

"Yes, but it has failed them now; see, they are lowering down the sail."
As Jack spoke, a light patch of white like the wing of a wild-fowl was
seen for a moment glancing above the water landward.

"Yes, there's no doubt that was a sail, which must have come from the
shore; but it is a question whether the Frenchmen will have the pluck to
pull on in the hopes of finding us, or will turn back. One thing is
certain, that we had better try to keep ahead, when they will have
farther to come if they still pursue us."

Once more the boys got their oars out, and laboured away as
energetically as before. They every now and then, however, looked back
to ascertain if the boat were coming after them. Meantime a light
breeze played occasionally over the water, but it was so light that it
would not have helped them much, and they thought it wiser not to hoist
their sail, as it would betray their position should a French boat
really be in pursuit of them.

The ship, which they supposed to be a frigate, was in in the meantime
drawing nearer to them from the north-east.

"I cannot help thinking that the boat is still coming after us," cried
Jack. "I fancy I caught sight of the gleam of the sun on the men's
hats; if I were to swarm up the mast I should be more certain."

"You will run the chance of capsizing the raft if you do," observed
Bill.

"I'll just go a little way up