eir good-will by
showing a pleasant temper, and working as hard as you can."

"All very well for you to preach," said Tom; "but there's no help for
it, I suppose, and so I must make the best of my hard lot."

"That's just what I'm advising," said Bill; though he did not add, "You
must remember you brought it upon yourself by running away from home."

The boatswain's pipe summoned all hands on deck to make sail, and the
frigate, standing down the Sound, at once put to sea.

A bright look-out was kept for enemies; all hands, from the captain
downwards, being eager to secure another prize, even though they might
have to fight a tough battle to win her. The captain's orders were to
capture, sink, burn, destroy, or drive on shore any of the enemy's
vessels he could come up with. With this object in view the _Thisbe_
continued to cruise, now down the Channel, now up again, keeping as much
as possible in sight of the French coast. She had been some time at
sea, however, without having made any prizes; for although she had
chased several vessels, they, having espied her in time, had managed to
escape by running close in shore, under strong batteries, or getting up
harbours where they could not be followed. At last one morning, as the
frigate had just made the land, from which she had been standing off
during the night, a sail was seen inside of her--that is, between her
and the French coast, steering to the eastward, apparently bound down
Channel.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

A CUTTING-OUT EXPEDITION--BILL DISCOVERS AN OLD FRIEND.

The wind being very light, every stitch of canvas the _Thisbe_ could
carry was packed on her, and her course altered so as to cut off the
stranger. As the sun rose, and its beams lighted up the white canvas of
the latter, she was pronounced to be a full-rigged ship, either a
man-of-war or privateer, or a large merchantman, but at the distance she
was off it was difficult to determine whether she was a frigate or a
flush-decked vessel. Captain Martin hoped that she would prove to be a
frigate, and an antagonist worthy of engaging. She must have seen the
_Thisbe_ approaching, but either took her for a friend or believed that
she was well able to cope with her, as she did not alter her course.
Captain Martin calculated that the _Thisbe_ would be up with the
stranger before noon. Every telescope on board was directed towards
her. Bill wished that he had one, that he might form an opinion as