hase of some of their ships, and, big as they
are, make them haul down their colours."

"Ay, that's some consolation," answered True Blue. "Still, it is not
like being in the middle of the fight--that you'll allow, godfather."

"No, True Blue, it is not, boy; but in the middle of the fight you see
nothing often--only your own gun and the side of the enemy at which you
are firing away," remarked Paul. "Now aboard a frigate we are outside
of all, and can see all the movements of our ships as well as those of
the enemy; and as to fighting, a frigate with a smart Captain gets twice
as much of that as any line-of-battle ship; except, perhaps, three or
four favourites of fortune, which somehow seem to be in at everything.
Look now, there's Lord Howe signalling away, and Admiral Montague
answering him."

The fleet was now off the Lizard. The signal was made for the different
convoys to part company, and for Admiral Montague, with six
seventy-fours and two frigates, to protect them as far as the latitude
of Cape Finisterre. Away sailed the rich argosies, many of the Indiamen
worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, and almost as large as the
line-of-battle ships themselves. Extending far as the eye could reach,
they covered the glittering ocean with their white canvas and shining
hulls, their flags streaming out gaily to the breeze.

Lord Howe, with the remainder of the men-of-war, steered for Ushant,
and, arriving there, sent some frigates to look into Brest, to ascertain
if the French fleet was there. The frigates returned with the report
that it was in the harbour, a large number of ships having been clearly
seen. Lord Howe calculating the time that the expected convoy from
America would probably arrive, steered straight on a course to intercept
them. The line-of-battle ships had of necessity to keep together, in
case of encountering an enemy's squadron; but the frigates were
scattered far and wide; and True Blue had no reason to complain of want
of employment, as night and day a sharp lookout was kept for a strange
sail.

None, however, was seen, and once more the fleet returned to the
neighbourhood of Brest. Two frigates, with two line-of-battle ships to
support them, were now ordered to look once more into Brest harbour. On
going in, they met with an American merchantman coming out, and, on a
boat from the _Leviathan_ boarding her, the master informed the officer
in command that the French fleet had sailed so