The vessels were now within a mile of each other.  The breeze was steady, and sufficiently fresh for all the ordinary evolutions of a naval combat; while the water was just quiet enough to permit the ships to be handled with confidence and accuracy.  La Fontange was running with her head to the eastward, and, as she had the advantage of the wind, her tall tracery of spars leaned gently in the direction of her adversary.  The Coquette was standing on the other tack, and necessarily inclined from her enemy.  Both vessels were stripped to their top-sails, spankers, and jibs, though the lofty sails of the Frenchman were fluttering in the breeze, like the graceful folds of some fanciful drapery.  No human being was distinctly visible in either fabric, though dark clusters around each mast-head showed that the ready top-men were prepared to discharge their duties, even in the confusion and dangers of the impending contest.  Once or twice, la Fontange inclined her head more in the direction of her adversary; and then, sweeping up again to the wind, she stood on in stately beauty The moment was near when the ships were about to cross each other, at a point where a musket would readily send its messenger across the waiter that lay between them.  Ludlow, who closely watched each change of position, and every rise and fall of the breeze, went on the poop, and swept the horizon with his glass, for the last time before his ship should be enveloped in smoke.  To his surprise, he discovered a pyramid of canvas rising above the sea, in the direction of the wind.  The sail was clearly visible to the naked eye, and had only escaped earlier observation in the duties of so urgent a moment.  Calling the master to his side, he inquired his opinion concerning the character of the second stranger.  But Trysail confessed it exceeded even his long-tried powers of observation to say more than that it was a ship running before the wind, with a cloud of sail spread.  After a second and a longer look, however, the experienced master ventured to add that the stranger had the squareness and symmetry of a cruiser, but of what size he would not yet presume to declare.

“It may be a light ship, under her top-gallant and studding-sails, or it may be, that we see only the lofty duck of some heavier vessel, Captain Ludlow;—­ha! he has caught the eye of the Frenchman, for the corvette has signals abroad!”

“To your glass!—­If the stranger answer, we have no choice but our speed.”

There was another keen and anxious examination of the upper spars of the distant ship, but the direction of the wind prevented any signs of her communicating with the corvette from being visible.  La Fontange appeared equally uncertain of the character of the stranger, and for a moment there was some evidence of an intention to change her course.  But the moment for indecision had past.  The ships were already sweeping up abreast of each other, under the constant pressure of the breeze.