the
sails and struck the water a quarter of a mile to windward. With an
oath the captain of the privateer brought his vessel up into the wind,
and then payed off on the other tack.

The merchantman carried much heavier metal than he had given her
credit for. As she came round too, some redcoats were seen on her
deck. Apparently well satisfied with the display she had made of her
strength, the ship bore off again and went quietly, on her way, while
the privateer was hove to and preventer stays put to the mainmast.
Ralph remained below for some time; he heard the men savagely cursing,
and thought it was best for him not to attract attention at present.
The sails were lowered and the brig drifted quietly all day; but about
ten o'clock Ralph heard a creaking of blocks, and knew that the sails
had been hoisted again. Half an hour later the watch below was ordered
to come quietly on deck. Ralph went up with the rest.

For a quarter of an hour he could see nothing, and then he made out a
dark mass a few hundred yards to leeward; immediately afterward the
helm was put up, and the brig run down toward the stranger. Two
minutes later there was a sharp hail, followed instantly by shouts and
the sound of feet; but before the crew could gain the deck and prepare
for defence the brig was alongside, and a moment later her crew sprang
upon the decks of the stranger. A few blows were given; but the
resistance offered was slight, and in a very short time the crew were
disarmed or driven below, and the vessel in the possession of the
privateer. She proved to be a small bark on her way out to the
Mediterranean. She carried only twenty hands and four small guns, and
was laden with hardware.

The privateer's crew at once set to work upon her. At first Ralph
could not understand what they were about, but he was not long in
discovering. The wedges round the mainmast were knocked out, the
topmast lowered to the deck, the shrouds and stays slacked off, and
then the mast was lifted and carried on board the brig. As soon as
this was done, the second mate of the brig with eight sailors went on
board as a prize crew. Everything was made taut and trim for them by
the brig's crew. The English prisoners had already been disarmed and
battened down in the hold, and the prize crew then hoisted sail and
prepared to take her under mizzen and foremast only to a French port.
This, if she had luck, she would reach in safety, but if on the way
she fell in w