"Has she been going like this all night ?" The officer nodded.
"How long do you think it will last, sir ?" "Two or three days." "Will it be any worse, sir ?" "Not likely to be.

It is taking us along rarely, and it is doing us good in more ways than one.
"Look there;" and as they rose on a wave, he pointed across the water, behind Dick.
The lad turned, and saw a brig running parallel to their course, half a mile distant.
"What of her, sir ?" "That is a French privateer, unless I am greatly mistaken." "But she has the British ensign flying, sir." "Ay, but that goes for nothing.

She may possibly be a trader, on her way down to the Guinea coast, but by the cut of her sails and the look of her hull, I have no doubt that she is a Frenchman." "We are passing her, sir." "Oh, yes.

In a gale and a heavy sea, weight tells, and we shall soon leave her astern; but in fine weather, I expect she could sail round and round us.

If the French could fight their ships as well as they can build them, we should not be in it with them." "Why don't we fire at her, Mr.Rawlinson ?" The officer laughed.
"How are you going to work your guns, with the ship rolling like this?
No, lad, we are like two muzzled dogs at present--we can do nothing but watch each other.