his cheek. It came from the south.
He turned his eyes in that direction to look for a further sign of the
wished-for breeze. As he did so he observed in the horizon a sail--he
judged a large ship. Directly afterwards another appeared, in a
different part of the horizon. He watched them attentively for some
time. Their sails were filled with wind, and they seemed to be drawing
nearer to each other, and also nearer to the raft. As soon as it struck
David that this was the case, he could no longer resist the temptation
of rousing up his companion. Harry sprang to his feet. Midshipmen do
not rub their eyes and yawn, and groan and growl, before they get up,
especially if they happen to be sleeping on a raft in the chops of the
channel.

"Yes, they are standing this way," he exclaimed. "They are frigates,
and what is more, though one is English, I doubt by the cut of the sails
whether the other is."

"At all events we shall have a good chance of being picked up," said
David.

"I hope so; but if an idea which has struck me is correct, they will
have too much to do to look after each other to take any notice of us,"
observed the midshipman.

"What do you mean?" asked David.

"That one is English and the other French, and if so, it is not likely
that, having come in sight of each other, they will part without
exchanging shots," remarked Harry.

"Unless the Frenchman runs away," said David.

"No fear of that. The monsieurs are brave fellows, though we can lick
them, and it is not often they show the white feather," remarked Harry.
"I really think that I am right. They look to me like two frigates, and
one I am sure is French. We'll rouse up the old man, and hear what he
has to say about the matter. He'll not thank us for letting him sleep
on."

"The old man is awake," said Jefferies, sitting up and gazing in the
direction indicated by the boys, under his open hand. For some time he
was silent. "Yes, there's little doubt about the matter," he said at
length. "They are frigates, and one is English; the other is a
foreigner, but whether Spaniard, Dutchman, or French, is more than I can
say. If they are going to fight, as you think, we can't help it,
neither can we make them sail near enough to see us, and pick us up; but
I'll tell you what we can do, young gentlemen, we can lift up our voices
in prayer to God to thank Him for His favours, and to ask Him for His
protection."

All three knelt down, and li