The fore and main sails had not been lowered.
Thus within two minutes' time the schooner was again under way, and standing across the harbour towards the big warship.
The rapidity of these movements apparently somewhat bewildered the French officer, who, while narrowly watching them, did not utter a word of remonstrance.

Now, as the "Sea Bee" moved away, his boat was started in the same direction.
Without paying any further attention to it, White Baldwin luffed his little craft across the frigate's bow, and the moment he was hidden beyond her, bore broad away, passing close along the opposite side of the warship, from which hundreds of eyes watched his movements with languid curiosity.
The boat, in the meantime, had headed for the stern of the frigate, with a view to gaining her starboard gangway, somewhere near which its officer supposed White to be already anchoring.

What was his amazement, therefore, as he drew within the shadow of his ship, to see the schooner shoot clear of its further side, and go flying down the wind, lee rail under.

For a moment he looked to see her round to and come to anchor.

Then, springing to his feet, he yelled for her to do so; upon which White Baldwin took off his cap, and made a mocking bow.
At this the enraged officer whipped out a revolver, and began to fire wildly in the direction of the vanishing schooner, which, for answer, displayed a British Union Jack at her main peak.