It is likely enough that, in another three days or so, we may get a sight of them behind us." This was evidently the captain's opinion also, for during the day the guns were overhauled, and their carriages examined, and the muskets brought up on deck and cleaned.

On the following day the men were practised at the guns, and then had pike and cutlass exercise.
None of the passengers particularly noticed these proceedings, for Dick had been warned by the captain to say nothing about the brig; and as he was the only passenger on deck at the time, no whisper of the privateers had come to the ears of the others.
The party were just going down to lunch, on the third day, when a lookout in the maintop hailed the deck: "A sail astern." "How does she bear ?" "She is dead astern of us, sir, and I can only make out her upper sails.

I should say that they are her royals." Mr.Green ran up, with his telescope slung over his shoulder.
"I cannot make much out of her, sir," he shouted to the captain.

"She may be anything.

She must be nearly thirty miles astern.