men believe that we were about to be overwhelmed, or that the
day of judgment had come. Fellows who had never before prayed, fell
down on their knees and cried for mercy.

A breeze springing up, we got once more under the blue sky, and they
quickly forgot their fears. Hitherto we had been sadly disappointed.
Had the _Hector_ touched at any of the ports we had visited she would
have been remembered, as she was, as Watkins had described her, a stout
ship of peculiar build. We should have regretted losing him, as he
might have been able to identify her, had not two of the men who
remained served on board her, and they declared that should they set
eyes on the old _Hector_ they should know her among a hundred such
craft. We resolved, at all events, to continue our search as long as we
had the means of procuring provisions and stores. We had no small
difficulty, however, in keeping our unruly crew in order; accustomed as
most of them had been to the corsair life, they longed for the
excitement of the battle and chase, and murmured at the peaceable work
in which we were engaged. We promised them, therefore, that they should
have fighting enough should we fall in with an enemy to our country, and
of such England had many by this time, Dutch, French and Spaniards,
though the Italian princes and Portuguese wisely wished to keep on
friendly terms.

We had got some distance to the eastward of Malta, when a calm came on,
and we lay with our canvas flapping against the masts, the sea shining
like glass, and not a cloud overhead to dim the blue heavens or to
shield our heads from the rays of the burning sun. The crew lay about
the decks overcome by the heat, and grumbling at the idle life to which
they were doomed. The red sun went down, and the pale moon rose,
casting a silvery light over the slumbering ocean. Not a ripple broke
the mirror-like surface of the deep.

"We must give these fellows something to do, or they'll be brewing
mischief," observed Lancelot, as we listened to the growling tones which
came from forward.

"Unless we turn corsairs, or fall in with a Hollander or a Don, I do not
see what we can give them to do," answered Dick.

"The chances are we shall not have long to wait, or we may encounter a
storm. That will give them some occupation, especially if it carries
away some of our spars," I observed, laughing.

We were in truth put to our wits' end to keep our men in good temper.
Again the sun rose