“Ha, ha, ha! Well, they shall hear a British one anon. Depend upon it, Miller, that frigate has a consort, and she is not far off at this moment, and—”
A puff of white smoke, with a point of fire in its centre, was now seen curling round the enemy’s bows, and the roar of the cannon interrupted the captain’s speech, and next moment a shot came ricochetting across from wave-top to wave-top, and passed harmlessly by on the starboard side.
“The fellow is beginning to be afraid already,” said Miller, laughing.
“Yes; and depend upon it that shot was meant to keep his courage up. But if he thinks we are to have a long-range duel he is miserably mistaken. Set the fore-soldier, Miller. We’ll walk to windward of him if we can.”
The Ocean Pride was now more closely hauled, and seemed for a time to bear away from the foe. The movement evidently puzzled the Frenchman. Was John Bull sheering off? Would he presently put round on the other tack and show them a clean pair of heels?
Shot after shot came tearing over the water, and when one went clean through the Pride’s rigging and was not even responded to, the excitement on board the Frenchman grew frantic.
The two vessels were now barely a quarter of a mile from each other, when suddenly round came the Pride till she was almost dead before the wind, and began bearing down upon the Désespéré—for that proved to be her name—like a whirlwind, and almost right before the wind. The battle was about to begin in deadly earnest.
And none too soon; for at that moment a cry of sail in sight was heard from the maintop-mast cross-trees.
“That’s her consort,” cried Sidney Salt. “Now, men,” he shouted, “be steady and cool; I need not say be brave. We may soon be engaged against two, unless we gain the day before that frigate’s consort puts in an appearance.”
A brave British cheer was the only reply to the captain’s short but pithy speech. The cheer was feebly answered by the enemy, who from her uncertain movements was evidently puzzled at the apparent change in Sir Sidney Salt’s tactics. It seemed to those on board the Pride that contrary orders had been issued; for she first luffed, as if to beat to windward and fight the British frigate beam to beam. Perhaps the courage of her commander suddenly failed him, and he came to the conclusion that he ought to ward off the real tug of war till his consort came up. Anyhow, just as a shot carried away a piece of her jib-boom she attempted to wear and fill, and in doing so missed stays.