A minute and we shall see his flag hauled down." But the minute passed, and another, and yet a third, and the English flag still flew.
By this time they were within musket-shot.

One by one the four guns had spoken from the galley's prow and still there was no answer.
On the brink of the tragedy there was silence for an instant.
Then a few of the French musketeers seemed to find this intolerable and fired without receiving the order.

Followed a silence again, and still the _Merry Maid_ came on as if to impale herself on the galley's beak.
And then, suddenly, when in five minutes the vessels must have collided, round flew the frigate's wheel.

For a minute and a half she fetched up as if awaking to the consequences of her folly; shuddered and shook against the wind; and, as her sails filled again, fetched away on the westerly tack for her life.
For a full two minutes the French were taken aback.
"Fools, fools!" shouted M.de la Pailletine, beside himself with joy.
The order flew for the slaves on the larboard benches to hold water for a minute and the galley's head came round.

Nothing gives more spirit than a flying enemy.