“Cannot you tell me more about her, so I may know her when I see her?” asked our commander tauntingly. “I might want to run away.”
“That will do you little good,” the Englishman replied, taking our skipper seriously. “She is bigger than you are, and carries eight more guns. She also has twice as large a crew, all picked men, and in addition a large body of marines. Besides that, she is the swiftest sailer on this side of the ocean, and can run you down in no time.”
“It does look as though I’d find her more than a match, doesn’t it?” our Captain remarked soberly. “She’s a good thing to avoid. I’m much obliged to you for your information. One thing more, please. You are quite sure she is somewhere between here and New York?”
The prisoner bit his lip. It had dawned upon him that possibly he had been talking too much. His information might enable Captain Tucker to escape capture. Finally, however, he answered:
“The frigate left New York, as I have said, four days ago; you must judge for yourself where she is now.”
“I think we’ll run up that way and take a look at her,” was the Captain’s comment.
Two days later we sighted a frigate, and Captain Tucker knew her at once by the description he had received. Sending for the commander of the packet, he pointed out the distant vessel, saying:
“There is your frigate. Now I want you to stand here, and see how I run away from her. But mind, not a word from you to thwart my plans.”
Then he ordered the English colors hoisted, and ran down towards the vessel. As soon as he had come within speaking distance, the English captain hailed him:
“What ship is that?”