Looking astern, he saw two vessels.

They were some six miles away, and perhaps two miles apart.

As they lay without steerage way, they had swung partly round, and he saw that they were a brig and a schooner.

The former he had no doubt, from her lofty masts and general appearance, was the same the Madras had passed six days before.

As the passengers came up, they were full of curiosity as to the vessels.
"Of course, we know no more actually than you do yourselves," the captain said, as some of them gathered round and questioned him, "but I may as well tell you, frankly, that we have very little doubt about their being two French privateers.