she was not to be
overtaken in the chase; and Raoul at one time actually thought of
turning up along the land and going into Bastia, where he might even
provide himself with a new mainmast at need. But this idea, on
reflection, he abandoned as too hazardous; and he continued on in the
direction of the mouth of the Golo.

Throughout the day the Proserpine had shown no colors, except for the
short period when her boats were engaged, and while she herself was
firing at the lugger. The same was the fact with le Feu-Follet, though
Raoul had run up the tri-color as he opened on the felucca, and he kept
it flying as long as there was any appearance of hostilities. As the two
vessels drew in near to the land several coasters were seen beating up
against the westerly wind, or running down before it, all of which,
however, seemed so much to distrust the appearance of the lugger as to
avoid her as far as was possible. This was a matter of indifference to
our hero, who knew that they were all probably countrymen; or, at least,
smugglers, who would scarcely reward him for the trouble, had he time to
bring them to and capture them. Corsica was then again in the hands of
the French, the temporary and imperfect possession of the English having
terminated three or four years earlier; and Raoul felt certain of a
welcome anywhere in the island and of protection wherever it could be
offered. Such was the state of things when, just as the lugger was
preparing to enter among the shoals, the Proserpine unexpectedly tacked
and seemed to bestow all her attention on the coasters, of which three
or four were so near that two fell into her hands almost without an
effort to escape.

It appeared to Raoul and those with him in his little craft that the
English seized these insignificant vessels solely with a wish for
vengeance, since it was not usual for ships of the force of the
Proserpine to turn aside to molest the poor fishermen and coasters. A
few execrations followed, quite as a matter of course, but the intricacy
of the channel and the necessity of having all his eyes about him soon
drove every other thought from the mind of the dashing privateersman but
such as were connected with the care and safety of his own vessel.

Just as the sun set le Feu-Follet anchored. She had chosen a berth
sufficiently within the shallow water to be safe from the guns of the
frigate, though scarcely within the river. The latter the depth of the
stream hardly p