ance, the smooth water close alongside could clearly be perceived,
and the mist was seen as it were skirmishing round us, broken away, it
seemed, by our coming against it, and then it grew thicker and thicker,
till the eye could no longer penetrate through it. We might have been,
for what we could tell, in the centre of an enemy's fleet. I made the
remark to Mr Randolph.

"Should such be the case, the mist will prove our best friend," he
answered. "I only wish that it may continue till we get abreast of
Plymouth; it may help us to run the gauntlet of our enemies."

We glided steadily and swiftly on for about an hour or more after this,
with everything set alow and aloft, and studden sails rigged out on
either side, there being a light air from the westward.

Suddenly, I felt a puff of wind from the northward just fan my left
cheek as I stood at the helm. Again it came, and I had to keep the ship
away to prevent her being taken aback. We, however, got a pull at the
lee braces, and again kept her on her course without taking in the
studden sails; again the wind came from the nor'ard of west, and most
reluctantly we had to take in all our studden sails, one after the
other, and to brace the yards up on the larboard tack. Scarcely had we
done so when the breeze increased still more.

I was looking to leeward trying to pierce the mist, when, as if by
magic, a wide rent was made in it. Upward it lifted, rolling away
rapidly on either side, and revealing in the space thus made clear, a
long, low craft floating in the water, without a stitch of canvas set on
her short stumps of masts. I pointed her out to Mr Randolph.

"I am afraid that she is mischievous, sir," said I. "There's a wicked
look about her which does not at all please me. She is more like a
French privateer than any other craft I know of."

"She is not a big one, at all events," he answered. "We ought to be
able to tackle her, and our dummies may do us good service by keeping
her at a respectful distance. However, she may be a Jersey or a
Guernsey-man, they have many lugger privateers. What do you think,
Andrews?"

"She may be a Jersey-man, but, to my mind, that craft was built and
fitted out in France, whoever now owns her," answered Andrews.
"Weatherhelm ought to know, he has served aboard some of them."

"I am afraid she is French, sir," said I, after I had taken a steady
look at her. "And whatever she is, there is up sail and after us. If