“They have seen us, and guess what we are,” observed Captain Dickson to his brother captain. “See, here come two frigates in chase. Turn the hands up and make sail!” he added, addressing the first lieutenant.
The crew were quickly aloft, and every stitch of canvas the Ione could set was packed upon her. There was no disgrace in running from so superior a force. The Ione was considered a good sailer, but the Frenchmen showed that they were still faster. Captain Dickson, however, had no intention of yielding his ship as long as he had a stick standing to escape with. Full of men as he now was, he hoped to beat off both his foes, though he could not expect to capture them in sight of an enemy’s squadron. As they got nearer, a couple of guns were trained aft to serve as stern chasers, and every preparation was made to fight for life and liberty.
Another frigate and two line-of-battle ships were seen standing after the first, but they were so far astern, that should the Ione keep ahead, without having her masts and spars shot away, there might still be hopes of her escaping.
British seamen seldom wish to avoid a fight, but on the present occasion few on board were such fire-eaters as not to hope that they might keep well ahead of their foes.
The two frigates were rapidly gaining on the Ione; another half-hour, or even less, and she would be within range of their guns. To hit her, however, they would have to yaw, and this would enable her to gain on them, while she could fire without altering her course.
Jack and Tom every now and then got a glimpse of the enemy through the ports.
“I say, Jack, it isn’t fair of those two fellows out there to be chasing us after all we have gone through. I was hoping to go home and see my father, and ask him to get me placed on the quarter-deck. I shouldn’t like to be killed till I’ve been made a midshipman—not that I should like it then.”
“Don’t you be talking nonsense about being made a midshipman. You’ve about as much chance as you have of being made port-admiral off-hand,” answered Jack, with more temper than he generally showed. “Of course you don’t want to be killed—no more do I; but we must both be ready should it be God’s will to call us in the way of duty.”
At length the drum beat to quarters, by which the men knew that the captain expected before long to be engaged in a fierce fight.
Rayner was at his station forward, but he could still see what was taking place astern. Presently the frigates yawed. Two flashes were seen, and the low, booming sound of a couple of guns came across the ocean.