t prevent his going.
He crept out quietly. Everybody was so busy that no one remarked him.
He looked out at one of the bow-ports; but nothing was to be seen ahead.
He glanced on the other side; not a sail was in sight.

He came back to the berth. "Paul!" he exclaimed joyfully, "it is not
that the frigate is chasing, but she is being chased. She seems to be
under all sail, and in a desperate hurry to get away."

"We've a chance, then, of not having to see the inside of a French
port," observed Paul Pringle. "That's a thing to be thankful for; but,
Billy, it's sad news we shall have to take home about Abel, and Peter,
and the rest. I must go and break it to Mrs Ogle and Mrs Bush, and
their children. It will make my heart bleed--that it will, I know."

Paul and True Blue talked on for some time, as very naturally they often
did, about their old ship and shipmates, till their well-practised ears
caught the sound of a distant gun.

"That's right aft!" exclaimed Paul. "It comes, I doubt, from the
leading ship of the pursuing squadron. I pray that the frigate may not
escape them."

"I must go on deck and see how many ships there are," said True Blue.
"The Frenchmen can but kick me down again, and I can easily jump out of
their way."

He had not gone long when down he came again, panting as if for want of
breath. "Oh, Paul!" he exclaimed, "I thought to have seen two or three
frigates or a line-of-battle ship at least; but, would you believe it,
there is but one frigate, more like the _Ruby_ than any ship I ever saw;
and if I didn't know for certain that her keel was at the bottom of the
Atlantic, I could have sworn that it was she herself. It quite took
away my breath to look at her, and then when the Frenchmen saw me
looking at the stranger, they hove their gun-sponges and rammers at me,
so I had to run for it to get out of their way."

"Billy, I wish that I could have a look at this stranger the Frenchmen
are so afraid of," said Paul. "If she is a frigate I have seen before,
I should know her again."

"I don't mind the Frenchmen. I will go and have another look at her,"
answered True Blue. "We shall soon be within speaking distance of her
guns."

As he spoke, he kept moving about the berth like a hyena in its cage;
and soon, unable any longer to restrain his impatience, out he darted
and unimpeded reached the deck. The pursuing frigate ran up the British
colours, and opened her fire with a couple of b