and within half-an-hour we shall be able to
do as we please with him."

That the stranger was strong-handed, and that she carried a thoroughly
well-disciplined crew was evident; for by the time that we had paid off
on the other tack and had swung our foreyard, her mizen rigging was full
of men busy upon the task of clearing away the wreck of the topmast,
while others were equally busy in clewing-up and furling the
fore-topgallantsail and hauling down and stowing her flying-jib, to
enable her to maintain as good a luff as possible. But desperate as
were their efforts they could do nothing with us now, at least upon a
wind; therefore when we next tacked--which was the moment that we were
fairly in her wake--she suddenly put up her helm, squared away dead
before the wind, and proceeded to set studdingsails on both sides.

The Captain rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight as he saw this.

"Up helm and after her, Mr Adair," he exclaimed. "It is the very thing
I could have wished for; she must be a veritable witch at sailing, if
she can beat us before the wind. But we will set our port studdingsails
only, to start with, if you please; for if, as I expect, we have the
heels of her, I will haul up a point or two and endeavour to close with
her to point-blank range."

Another three minutes saw us both sweeping away to leeward like meteors,
the chase about a mile distant, broad on our port beam, with
studdingsails set on both sides, from her royals down; while we, with
studdingsails set to port only, were edging rapidly in upon her, while
fully holding our own with her in other respects. And, oh, what a
relief it was to feel the long, easy, floating motion and the level keel
of a ship running before wind and sea, in exchange for the short, savage
digging into a head sea, with its accompaniments of drenching showers of
spray, sickening lee lurches, and a whole gale of wind buffeting one in
the face and doing its utmost to drive one's teeth down one's throat.

The Captain's expectations relative to the frigate's behaviour on the
new point of sailing were quickly verified; so quickly, indeed, that
within a quarter of an hour we found ourselves within easy range of the
chase--a fact which was brought home to us by a shot from her passing
within a foot of our hammock rail and whizzing between our fore and
mainmast.

"Now, Mr Adair," said the skipper, "you may see what you can do with
her. Let the captains of the guns