ate to
those placed under them, as had been shown by numerous instances of
devotion on the part of the men to their officers. The remarks of his
associates, however, gave Dick an unmitigated horror of the navy, while
he learned to look upon smugglers as a much-injured body of men, who
were unjustly interfered with while engaged in endeavouring to gain
their daily bread. At length, growing sleepy, he was glad to go below
and lie down on one of the lockers in the little after cabin.

Next morning the lugger lay becalmed. While the breeze lasted, the
smugglers had been in good humour, but as the watch below turned out,
they swore and grumbled at finding their craft lying idle on the smooth
surface of the ocean. No sail was in sight, and as long as the calm
continued they could not come to harm; but an enemy might bring down a
breeze which would enable her to get close up to them before their sails
were filled. This was what they dreaded. All their seamanship and
courage would not avail if she was a vessel too powerful for them to
cope with.

Hour after hour passed away, and still the _Nancy_ lay floating idly,
and carried down Channel by the ebb tide, and swept up again by the
flood. An anxious look-out was kept for signs of a coming breeze.
Evening was approaching. From whatever quarter the wind might come, it
might bring up an enemy. English or French were equally to be dreaded.
The skipper paced the deck, making short turns, telescope in hand, every
now and then sweeping the horizon with it, and casting an eye on the
dog-vanes which hung unmoved by a breath of air. At last he kept his
glass longer than usual turned to the eastward.

"There's no doubt about it!" he exclaimed. "Those are the royals of a
big ship of some sort; she's got a fresh breeze, too, or we shouldn't
have risen them so fast above the horizon."

Dick could only see a white spot on which the sun was shining, but it
appeared to be increasing in size and growing higher and higher. The
gaze of most of those on board were turned towards her. That she was
either an English or a French cruiser was the general opinion. Some
thought that she was a frigate, others a corvette; for no merchantman,
at that period, would have come down Channel alone. One thing was
certain, that she was steering directly for the lugger.

"What chance have we of escaping her?" asked Dick of Ben.

"Many a chance, lad," answered his friend. "If she's English she m