Voules had spoken of him to the first lieutenant and to some other officers, and described him as a young ruffian who had been leagued with smugglers, and was now the associate of men of the worst character on board.
Dick was accordingly strictly, if not harshly treated, and though he had at first been well-disposed to do his duty, he became every day more and more discontented, and ready to retort upon those whom he looked upon as tyrants.
The frigate had been ordered to cruise in the Channel off the French coast, and a sharp look-out was kept night and day for an enemy.
“We shall soon see how these young gentlemen behave if we get alongside of mounseer. They can hold their heads high enough now, but when the Frenchman’s shot come whizzing about their ears, they’ll duck them fast enough,” said Ben.
“Is there a chance, then, of our having a battle?” inquired Dick. “I should like to be in one, just to see how things are managed.”
“If Captain Moubray is the sort of man I have heard him described, he’ll do his best to look out for an enemy,” replied Ben.
Still, day after day passed by and no suspicious sail was met with. At length, one evening, soon after dark, the Wolf was standing in towards the French coast. Having passed the Island of Groix, she continued on until several shots were fired at her from a fort, which, however, did no damage. She put about, and a short time afterwards, the wind being East-North-East, the look-out aloft shouted—
“A sail on the lee bow!”
The stranger was now seen to be running west by south. The Wolf immediately made all sail, and as she got nearer, two muskets were fired towards the chase, which appeared to be a large ship, to bring her to. Instead of so doing, however, the Frenchman, for such she undoubtedly was, set all the sail she could carry, endeavouring to escape. This seemed strange, for as far as could be judged, she was a larger ship than the Wolf.
“Will she get away?” asked Dick, who was standing near Ben Rudall at one of the bow-ports on the maindeck, through which they could dimly see the chase rising like some phantom giant stalking over the deep.