g her present course, the two ships would
have passed within pistol-shot of each other. I scarce knew the nature of
the sudden impulse which induced me to call out to the man at the wheel to
starboard his helm. It was probably from instinctive apprehension that it
were better for a neutral to have as little to do with a belligerent as
possible, mingled with a presentiment that I might lose some of my people
by impressment. Call out I certainly did, and the Dawn's bows came up to
the wind, looking to the westward, or in a direction contrary to that in
which the frigate was running, as her yards were square, or nearly so. As
soon as the weather leeches touched, the helm was righted, and away we
went with the wind abeam, with about as much breeze as we wanted for the
sail we carried.

The Dawn might have been half a mile to windward of the frigate when this
manoeuvre was put in execution. We were altogether ignorant whether our
own ship had been seen; but the view we got of the stranger satisfied us
that he was an Englishman. Throughout the whole of the long wars that
succeeded the French Revolution, the part of the ocean which lay off the
chops of the channel was vigilantly watched by the English, and it was
seldom, indeed, a vessel could go over it, without meeting more or less of
their cruisers.

I was not without a hope that the two ships would pass each other,
without our being seen. The mist became very thick just as we hauled up,
and, had this change of course taken place after we were shut in, the
chances were greatly in favour of its being effected. Once distant a mile
from the frigate, there was little danger of her getting a glimpse of us,
since, throughout all that morning, I was satisfied we had not got an
horizon with that much of diameter.

As a matter of course, the preparations with the studding-sails were
suspended. Neb was ordered to lay aloft, as high as the cross-trees, and
to keep a vigilant look-out, while all eyes on deck were watching as
anxiously, in the mist, as we had formerly watched for the shadowy outline
of _la Dame de Nantes_. Marble's long experience told him best where to
look, and he caught the next view of the frigate. She was directly under
our lee, gliding easily along under the same canvass; the reefs still in,
the courses in the brails, and the spanker rolled up, as it had been for
the night.

"By George," cried the mate, "all them Johnny Bulls are still asleep, and
they haven't