worst of it."

The motion of the ship kept Dick awake for some time, but, wedging
himself tightly in his berth, he presently fell off to sleep, and did
not wake again until morning. His two cabin mates were suffering
terribly from seasickness, but he felt perfectly well, although it
took him a long time to dress, so great was the motion of the ship.

On making his way on deck, he found that overhead the sky was blue and
bright, and the sun shining brilliantly. The wind was blowing much
harder than on the previous evening, and a heavy sea was running; but
as the sun sparkled on the white crests of the waves, the scene was
far less awe inspiring than it had been when he looked out before
retiring to his berth. The ship, under closely-reefed main and
fore-top sails, was tearing through the water at a high rate of speed,
throwing clouds of spray from her bows, and occasionally taking a wave
over them that sent a deluge of water along the deck.

"What do you think of this, lad?" Mr. Rawlinson, who was in charge of
the watch, asked him; as, after watching his opportunity, he made a
rush to the side and caught a firm hold of a shroud.

"It is splendid, sir," he said. "Has she been going like this all
night?"

The officer nodded.

"How long do you think it will last, sir?"

"Two or three days."

"Will it be any worse, sir?"

"Not likely to be. It is taking us along rarely, and it is doing us
good in more ways than one.

"Look there;" and as they rose on a wave, he pointed across the water,
behind Dick.

The lad turned, and saw a brig running parallel to their course, half
a mile distant.

"What of her, sir?"

"That is a French privateer, unless I am greatly mistaken."

"But she has the British ensign flying, sir."

"Ay, but that goes for nothing. She may possibly be a trader, on her
way down to the Guinea coast, but by the cut of her sails and the look
of her hull, I have no doubt that she is a Frenchman."

"We are passing her, sir."

"Oh, yes. In a gale and a heavy sea, weight tells, and we shall soon
leave her astern; but in fine weather, I expect she could sail round
and round us. If the French could fight their ships as well as they
can build them, we should not be in it with them."

"Why don't we fire at her, Mr. Rawlinson?"

The officer laughed.

"How are you going to work your guns, with the ship rolling like this?
No, lad, we are like two muzzled dogs at present--we can do nothing
but watch