At midnight his watch went on deck, and Ralph perceived that while he had been below the sail had again been greatly reduced, and noticed that from time to time the officer on watch swept the horizon with his night-glass.

He apparently observed nothing until about two o'clock, when he stood for some time gazing intently astern.

Then he turned, gave an order to a sailor, who went below, and two or three minutes later the captain came on deck.

After speaking to the officer he too gazed intently astern.

Then the ship's course was suddenly changed, the sheets eased off, and for half an hour she ran at a sharp angle to the course she had before been following, then she was brought up into the eye of the wind and laid to.
Although Ralph strained his eyes in the direction in which the captain had been looking, he could see nothing; but he had no doubt a sail had been seen coming up astern, and that the object of the change of course was to let her pass them without their being seen.