However, it is certain that he is in earnest; he is politely requesting us to lower our sails." He laughed as a puff of white smoke broke out from the brig and, a second or two later, a ball dashed up the water fifty yards ahead of them.

The emotions with which Patsey and Leigh watched the brig differed much from those of the captain.

They would gladly have seen the lugger overhauled and captured, but they soon saw that there was little chance of this.

The lugger was a fast boat, the wind just suited her, and the brig fell farther and farther astern until, as the former entered the bay of Quimper and laid her course north, the brig hauled her wind and turned to rejoin the vessels off Brest.
Keeping close to the land, they passed L'Orient and Quiberon and Vannes without stopping, and did not drop anchor again until they entered the bay on the eastern side of the island of Noirmoutier.
The next day they passed out through the narrow channel of Froment, and had gone between the island and the mainland, for a distance of two miles, when they saw a large brig making in towards the shore.
"Another of those cruisers," the captain exclaimed.

"This is more serious, for there is no bay we can run into, and the fellow is bringing the wind down with him.