eath them occasionally.
She was coming along very fast, however; and presently, when she took a
rather broad sheer, I caught a momentary glimpse of _two_ royals and
just the head of a third--the mizzen--proving conclusively that she was
full-rigged--as was the _Virginia_. But, as the skipper had surmised,
she was still much too far off for identification. I thought rapidly,
and an idea occurred to me which caused me to close my glass, re-sling
it, and slide down to the cross-trees.

"Up you go again, Dixon, and keep your eye on that vessel, reporting any
noticeable thing about her that may happen to catch your eye," said I.
And swinging myself on to the topgallant backstay, I slid rapidly down
to the deck.

"Well, Mr Fortescue, what do you make of her?" demanded the skipper, as
I rejoined him.

"She is a full-rigged ship, sir," said I; "but, as you anticipated, she
is still too far off for identification. But she is steering the course
that we have decided the _Virginia_ ought to be steering; and it has
just occurred to me that, should she indeed be that craft, she may give
us a great deal of trouble if she discovers us prematurely, seeing that
she is to windward. I would therefore suggest, sir, that we bear up and
make sail, so as to keep ahead of her until dark, and then--"

"Yes, I see what you mean, Mr Fortescue," interrupted the skipper; "and
doubtless there are many cases where the plan would be very commendable;
but in this case I think it would be better to close with her while it
is still daylight and we can see exactly what we--and they--are doing.
Therefore be good enough to make sail at once, if you please."

"Ay, ay, sir," answered I. "Hands make sail. Away aloft and loose the
royals and topgallantsails. Lay out and loose the flying-jib. Board
your fore and main tacks!"

In a moment all was bustle; the watch below tumbled up to lend a hand
without waiting to be called; and in five minutes the noble ship was
clothed with canvas from her trucks down, and shearing through the deep
blue water with her lee channels buried.

"Now, Mr Fortescue," said the skipper, "we will 'bout ship, if you
please."

We tacked, accordingly; and as soon as we were fairly round and full
again the skipper hailed the royal yard to know how the chase bore. The
answer was, "A point and a half on the weather bow!"

"Just so!" commented the skipper. "We will keep on as we are going
until she bears dead ahead, and the