"All right," observed Paul, "I'm glad Will's himself again. Poor Molly,
she'd be pleased to see him happy--that I know she would, good soul."

Whether Will's heart was as light as his feet might be doubted. Several
days passed, and the Frenchmen kept snug at their anchors. "They'll
move some day or other, and then we'll be at them," was the general
remark. Still there they lay. None of the English crews was allowed to
go on shore; but the ships were kept ready to weigh at a moment's
notice. Daylight had just broken on the 16th of April 1780, when a
frigate under a press of sail was seen approaching the bay. A signal
was flying from her masthead. It was one which made the British tars
shout with satisfaction; it was, "The French have put to sea!"

Round went the capstans, up came the anchors, the broad folds of white
canvas were let fall from the yards and sheeted home, and in the course
of a few minutes the whole fleet was under weigh and standing out to
sea. No one fiddled more lustily than did Sam Smatch, and a right merry
tune he played, while the crew of the _Terrible_ with sturdy tramp
pressed round the bars of the capstan; and never was a topsail more
speedily set than that under charge of Will Freeborn.

No sooner was the fleet clear of the harbour than the enemy was
discovered in the north-west. Instantly the signal was made from the
flagship, the _Sandwich_, for a general chase. How shrilly the
boatswains sounded their pipes, how rapidly the men flew aloft or
tramped along the decks, while sail after sail was set, till every ship
was carrying as much canvas as could by any art or contrivance be spread
on her yards! Beautiful and inspiriting was the sight. The enemy saw
them coming, but did not heave-to in order to meet them, endeavouring
rather to escape.

All day long the chase continued, and it was not until towards the
evening that, from the British ships, it could be discovered that the
Frenchmen's force consisted of no less than twenty-three sail of the
line, a fifty-gun ship, three frigates, a lugger, and a cutter.
Darkness came on, however, before the British could get up with them;
but sharp eyes all night long were eagerly watching their movements, and
few on board any of the ships could bring themselves to turn in to their
hammocks.

During the night the wind came round to the southward and east, greatly
to the satisfaction of all on board the English fleet, and when morning
broke