"Of the Devil."
A silence ensued; and again the captain resumed his questions.
"Are all the cruisers there?"
"No, not all."
In fact, on the 2d of April, Valazé had reported to the Convention that ten frigates and six ships of the line were cruising in the Channel. The captain remembered this.
"You are right," he said; "the squadron numbers sixteen ships, and only eight are here."
"The others are straggling along the coast down below, on the lookout," said Gacquoil.
Still gazing through his spy-glass the captain murmured,—
"One three-decker, two first-class and five second-class frigates."
"I too have seen them close at hand," muttered Gacquoil. "I know them too well to mistake one for the other."