“Sail, ho!” cried the look-out on the main-top-gallant-yard.

“Where-a-way?”

“Broad on the weather-beam, Sir; here, in a range with the light cloud that is just lifting from the water.”

“Can you make out the rig?”

“’Fore George, the fellow is right!” interrupted the master.  “The cloud caused her to be unseen; but here she is, sure enough,—­a full-rigged ship, under easy canvas, with her head to the westward!”

The look of Ludlow through the glass was long, attentive, and grave.

“We are weak-handed to deal with a stranger;” he said, when he returned the instrument to Trysail, “You see he has nothing but his top-sails set,—­a show of canvas that would satisfy no trader, in a breeze like this!”

The master was silent, but his look was even longer and more critical than that of his captain.  When it had ended, he cast a cautious glance towards the diminished crew, who were curiously regarding the vessel that had now become sufficiently distinct-by a change in the position of the cloud, and then answered, in an under tone:—­

“‘Tis a Frenchman, or I am a whale’ One may see it, by his short yards, and the hoist of his sails; ay, and ’tis a cruiser, too, for no man who had a profit to make on his freight, would be lying there under short canvas, and his port within a day’s run.”

“Your opinion is my own; would to Heaven our people were all here!  This is but a short complement to take into action with a ship whose force seems equal to our own.  What number can we count?”

“We are short of seventy,—­a small muster for four-and-twenty guns, with yards like these to handle.”

“And yet the port may not be insulted!  We are known to be on this coast—­”

“We are seen!” interrupted the master—­“The fellow has worn ship, and he is already setting his top-gallant-sails.”

There no longer remained any choice between downright flight and preparations for combat.  The former would have been easy, for an hour would have taken the ship within the cape; but the latter was far more in consonance with the spirit of the service to which the Coquette belonged.  The order was therefore given for “all hands to clear ship for action!” It was in the reckless nature of sailors, to exalt in this summons; for success and audacity go hand in hand, and long familiarity with the first had, even at that early day, given a confidence that often approached temerity to the seamen of Great Britain and her dependencies.  The mandate to prepare for battle was received by the feeble crew of the Coquette, as it had often been received before, when her decks were filled with the number necessary to give full efficiency to her armament; though a few of the older and more experienced of the mariners, men in whom confidence had been diminished by time, were seen to shake their heads, as if they doubted the prudence of the intended contest.