round there, we shall feel more
comfortable."

"But don't you feel comfortable at present, captain?"

"Well, not altogether. We are a good deal too close in to the
French coast; and we are just on the track of any privateer that
may be making for Bordeaux, from the west or south, or going out in
those directions. So, although I can't say I am absolutely
uncomfortable, I shall be certainly glad when we are back again on
the regular track of our own line of traffic for the Straits or
Portugal. There are English cruisers on that line, and privateers
on the lookout for the French, so that the sound of guns might
bring something up to our assistance; but there is not much chance
of meeting with a friendly craft, here--unless it has, like
ourselves, been blown out of its course."

A lookout had already been placed aloft. Several sails were seen in
the distance, in the course of the afternoon, but nothing that
excited suspicion. The wind continued light and, although the brig
had every sail set, she was not making more than five and a half
knots an hour through the water. In the evening the wind dropped
still more and, by nine o'clock, the brig had scarcely steerage
way.

"It is enough to put a saint out of temper," the captain said, as
he came down into the cabin, and mixed himself a glass of grog
before turning in. "If the wind had held, we should have been
pretty nearly off Finisterre, by morning. As it is, we haven't made
more than forty knots since we took the observation, at noon."

Bob woke once in the night; and knew, by the rippling sound of
water, and by the slight inclination of his berth, that the breeze
had sprung up again. When he woke again the sun was shining
brightly, and he got up and dressed leisurely; but as he went into
the cabin he heard some orders given, in a sharp tone, by the
captain on deck, and quickened his pace up the companion, to see
what was going on.

"Good morning, Mr. Lockett!" he said to the second mate, who was
standing close by, looking up at the sails.

"Good morning, Master Repton!" he replied, somewhat more shortly
than usual.

"There is a nice breeze this morning," Bob went on. "We seem going
on at a good rate."

"I wish she were going twice as fast," the mate said. "There is a
gentleman over there who seems anxious to have a talk with us, and
we don't want to make his acquaintance."

Bob looked round and saw, over the quarter, a large lugger some
three miles away.