looked through the latter, and rubbed and rubbed again; and then
they pulled very long faces at each other, for the ship could nowhere be
seen. Many of them remained aloft, still looking for her, but at last
they came down and looked at each other, and voted themselves sold.
However, they went to breakfast, and as they walked the deck after it
they hoped that they might have better luck next time.

The men's dinner was just over, when once more everybody was put on the
alert by hearing "Sail ho!" sung out from the mast-head.

"Where away?" asked Captain Lascelles, who was walking the deck at the
time.

"Right ahead, sir," was the answer.

The captain himself went aloft. When he came down again he told Mr
Holt that he believed she was the identical ship they had chased the
previous day. The frigate rapidly got up with her.

"How jolly to think that we shall catch her after all," exclaimed Jack,
as they got near enough to the chase to see halfway down her courses.
"But what is the matter with her? She seems to have altered her
course."

"She is becalmed, to be sure," answered Lieutenant Hemming, who heard
the question. "Daddy Neptune has brought her up all standing, to place
her as a punishment in our power. I only hope he will not make a
mistake and becalm us till we get up to her."

In another hour or less the stranger was seen floating in the middle of
a shining sheet of water of silvery hue. Still the frigate carried on
the breeze. It was a question whether the stranger would get it, and
perhaps make a fresh start, leaving her pursuer in the lurch. The
excitement on board the frigate became greater than ever when the
stranger was seen, for there was no longer any doubt about her
character. Her taut masts, her square yards, the great hoist of her
topsails, and her light cotton canvas, all showed her to be a slaver,
probably combined with the occupation of a pirate. Gradually the wind
decreased as the frigate neared her; when within about a couple of miles
it fell a dead calm. Captain Lascelles gave a rapid glance round the
horizon, and then ordered away the first and second cutters with a large
whale-boat, and directed the second and third lieutenants and one of the
mates to join them. Jack and Terence got leave to accompany Mr
Hemming. It was very evident, from the appearance of the stranger, that
she would give them some tough work before they took her. With loud
cheers the expedition shoved o