, on us. The
Frenchmen naturally calculated on the darkness increasing, and when once
out of her sight, on being able to alter their course, and get clear
away. I devoutly hoped that they would not. Hours, it seemed to me,
passed away; still the lugger and the frigate held their relative
positions, the latter firing occasionally, but the Frenchmen, after a
time, ceased doing so; indeed, in the heavy sea running, they could
scarcely work their guns. The wind increased, but there was no sign of
shortening sail; the sky sent down deluges of rain; it became darker
than ever. I had never, I thought, taken my eyes off the frigate,
except when the spray dashed over me, and compelled me to close them for
a moment. I was looking in the direction where I had last seen her.

"Bluff, do you see her?" I exclaimed suddenly, rubbing my eyes at the
same time with all my might, to bring back the object I had lost.

"No, Muster Merry. To my mind she isn't there," he answered positively.

The Frenchmen were of the same opinion, for I heard them chatting away
together, and laughing heartily. Still we continued on the same tack.
Indeed, to go about would have been a dangerous operation, and to wear
would have lost ground, and very likely have brought the lugger back in
sight of the frigate. No one had taken any notice of us for a long
time. The captain now came to the companion.

"Ah! you brave garcon, come here," he said, as he descended.

Giving Bluff a pull, as a sign to come after me, I followed him below.
A bright lamp swung from the deck above, and exhibited a well-furnished
if not a luxurious cabin, with a table in the centre, on which, secured
in the usual way, were bottles and glasses, and deep dishes containing
various sorts of viands.

"Come, you hungry; sit down," said the captain,--an order which I very
gladly obeyed, though it was far from easy to stick on my chair, or to
convey the food to my mouth.

"Pierre!" shouted the captain, and a man, who seemed to be his steward,
got up from a corner of the cabin where he had been asleep, and stood
ready to wait on us. The captain motioned him to give some bread and
sausage to Toby, who retired with it to the door, where he sat down to
eat it at his leisure.

Our host did not talk much. He put a few questions as to the number of
the Doris's guns, and their length and weight of metal, and whether she
was reputed a fast sailer; to all which questions I gave honest a