ze-money.

Captain Martin was about to return to port to take on board his officers
and men when he was joined by the _Venus_ frigate. Her captain told him
that he had just before made out two French frigates to the south-east,
and the _Thisbe_ bore up with the _Venus_ in chase, with every stitch of
canvas they could carry set.

A stern chase is proverbially a long chase, and the French frigates,
which had been seen to the eastward, had a considerable start of their
pursuers. Still, as they had been under moderate canvas, it was hoped
that they would set no more sail, and might thus be overtaken.

A sharp look-out was kept, and the officers were continually going aloft
with their glasses, and sweeping the horizon from north to south, in the
hopes of espying the enemy.

"I say, Jack, do you think if we come up with those two Frenchmen we are
chasing they'll turn round and fight us?" asked Tom, who thought it much
pleasanter to capture unarmed merchant vessels than to have to fight an
enemy which sent round shots and bullets on board in return.

"No doubt about that, youngster," answered Ben Twinch, the boatswain's
mate, who overheard Tom's remark. "What do you think we come to sea
for? If we can take a man-of-war of our own size she's worth half a
dozen merchant craft, though, to be sure, some of us may lose the number
of our mess; but we all know that, and make no count of it. Maybe
you'll have your head taken off one of these days, and if you do, you'll
only share the fate of many another fine fellow."

"I hope not!" cried Tom, mechanically putting up his hand to his head as
if to hold it on, and turning from Ben.

"Never fear!" said Jack, wishing to console him; "the chances are that
you will escape and live to fight another day."

If Tom had any fear, it was not the time to show it. He heard all
around him speak of fighting as if it were fun, and of death with
seeming levity. It is the way of the young and the thoughtless. Old
sailors and old soldiers seldom talk thus, and think more of duty than
of glory. For young or for old the loss of life is not a matter for
light talk, as if death were only the end of it. Those that cause war
will have much to reckon for hereafter. But there is no time for such
thoughts in sight of the enemy. So we must go on with our story.

The midshipmen aft were universally anxious to come up with the vessels
of which they were in chase. It was supposed that they were