get up to her before
nightfall, and that then in the darkness she might escape. The men were
piped to dinner, and of course the conversation at the mess-tables ran
on the probabilities of our capturing the chase.

Some time afterwards, just as the watch on deck had been relieved, the
main topsail gave a loud flap against the mast. The other sails, which
had before been swelling out, now hung down.

"The wind is all up and down the masts," I heard my father remark, with
a sigh; and going on deck, such we found indeed to be the case.
Scarcely a cat's-paw played over the surface of the water, while our
canvas hung down entirely emptied of wind. It was a time when Captain
Cobb would have almost cracked his cheeks with blowing for the purpose
of regaining it. Captain Oliver, however, did no such thing, but,
taking his glass, directed it towards the chase.

"She is in our condition," he observed to Mr Schank.

"She is not likely to get away from us, at all events," remarked the
First-Lieutenant, taking a look at her also.

"I think, Schank; we may, however, make sure of her with the boats,"
observed the Captain. "It will not do to give her a chance of escaping,
and she may get the breeze before we do."

"Certainly, sir," answered Mr Schank. "It will be as well to secure
her, for fear of that."

"Well, as there is no great glory to be gained, I will let Mr Mason and
Bramston go in the boats," said the Captain.

The frigate's boats were accordingly called away. The two lieutenants
and my father and a couple of midshipmen went in them, with altogether
about seventy men. It was a strong force, but the ship was very likely
to have sweeps, and even a merchantman might offer some resistance
unless attacked by overpowering numbers. The people cheered as they
pulled off, and urged them to make haste with the prize. Never did an
expedition start with fairer prospects of success, and we fully hoped,
before many hours were over, to have the chase under English colours.
She was between four and five miles away at the time; but though the
pull was a long one, the men laid their backs to the oars for fear of a
breeze springing up before they could get alongside. My mother had
shown considerable anxiety on former occasions when my father had gone
away on dangerous expeditions, yet, in the present instance, she seemed
quite at ease, as there appeared to be no danger or difficulty in the
enterprise. Though no man ever love