eam. "Is that a vessel?" said Willy, pointing
it out to the first mate, who was standing near McElvina.

"Indeed it is, my boy," replied the mate; "you've a sharp eye of your
own."

McElvina's glass was already on the object. "A cutter, right before the
wind, coming down to us; a government vessel, of some sort or another,
I'll swear. I trust she's a revenue cruiser--I have an account to
settle with those gentlemen. Stay at your quarters, my lads--hand up
shot, and open the magazine!"

The powerful rays of the sun, assisted by the increasing wind, now
rolled away the fog from around the vessels, which had a perfect view of
each other. They were distant about two miles, and the blue water was
strongly rippled by the breeze which had sprung up. The lugger
continued her course on a wind, while the cutter bore down towards her,
with all the sail that she could throw out. The fog continued to clear
away, until there was an open space of about three or four miles in
diameter. But it still remained folded up in deep masses, forming a
wall on every side, which obscured the horizon from their sight. It
appeared as if nature had gratuitously cleared away a sufficient portion
of the mist, and had thus arranged a little amphitheatre for the
approaching combat between the two vessels.

"His colours are up, sir. Revenue stripes, by the Lord!" cried
Phillips.

"Then all's right," replied McElvina.

The cutter had now run down within half a mile of the lugger, who had
continued her course with the most perfect _nonchalance_--when she
rounded-to. The commander of the vessel, aware, at the first discovery
of the lugger, that she could be no other than an enemy, who would most
probably give him some trouble, had made every preparation for the
engagement.

"Shall we hoist any colours, sir?" said the first mate to McElvina.

"No--if we hoist English, he will not commence action until he has made
the private signal, and all manner of parleying which is quite
unnecessary. He knows what we are well enough."

"Shall we hoist a French ensign, sir?"

"No; I'll fight under no other colours than those of old England, even
when I resist her authority."

A long column of white smoke now rolled along the surface of the water,
as the cutter, who had waited in vain for the colours being hoisted,
fired the first gun at her antagonist. The shot whizzed between the
masts of the lugger, and plunged into the water a quarter of a mi