so fast over the water that they were of no further use. Still
the wind blew stronger and stronger. They were within half a mile of
the frigate. The loud sound of a gun fired from her side boomed over
the water; it was followed by another--the signal for weighing. The
head-sails of the merchantmen were sheeted home, and in quick succession
their bows turned seaward and they glided away from their anchorage.
The _Falcon_ had not yet moved. They were now so near the frigate that
the men in the tops and on the yards and swarming up the rigging could
clearly be distinguished, while the boatswain's shrill whistle and the
voices of the officers were distinctly heard. A groan escaped from the
old captain's breast as the head-sails were let fall and sheeted home.
The yards, hitherto backed against the mast, were swung round, and the
huge anchor appeared rising above the water. Poor Jessie uttered a cry
of grief, for she understood too well that there was now no hope of ever
getting alongside. At that instant a person was seen to spring into the
main rigging: Jessie held out her hands to him--it was Ralph. He must
have recognised the boat as she approached. He waved a farewell to
Jessie. No words reached her ear; but she saw, or fancied that she saw,
his lips moving. Standing up, she seemed as if about to spring towards
her intended husband, but the old captain holding her back, she uttered
a piercing cry and sank down senseless in his arms. He could not tell
whether Ralph had seen what had happened; he had indeed enough to do in
attending to Jessie and steering the boat. Recollecting the protection,
he held up the case containing it; but it was unnoticed, or at all
events unheeded. He heard one of his seamen remark, "Now's his time!
If he was to slip overboard and swim to us, we'd pick him up fast
enough, and they'd not heave-to to send after him." The sailors in the
boat beckoned eagerly to Ralph, who could not have misunderstood their
signals. The temptation to him must have been very great; but whether
or not he intended to make the attempt they could not tell, for at that
moment three men sprang into the rigging and he was dragged down on deck
out of sight.

Happily for Jessie, she did not see what had occurred. The ship had
paid off before the wind and was rapidly gathering way: her after-sails
were let fall, her topgallant sails hoisted, and under a crowd of canvas
she majestically glided out of the Soun