After running
down nearly as far as Bordeaux the vessel's head was pointed west, and
by nightfall the French coast was out of sight. A vigilant lookout was
now kept, one man being constantly stationed aloft, and by the
increased animation of the crew Ralph judged that they would soon
arrive at a point where they should be on the course of homeward bound
merchantmen. He had quite made up his mind that, although ready in all
other matters to do his duty as one of the crew of La Belle Marie,
nothing should induce him to take part in a fight against his own
countrymen.
As soon as night fell sail was reduced, and in the morning when at
eight bells Ralph came on deck with his watch he found that the whole
of the upper sails had been taken off her and the topsails lowered on
the cap, and the brig was only moving through the water at the rate of
two or three knots an hour. He guessed that she must be just upon the
track of ships, and that her object in thus taking off sail was to
catch sight of vessels in the distance while she herself would be
unobserved by them. During the course of the day several sail were
seen passing, but all at a considerable distance. Either the captain
did not think that it was safe to commence operations at present, or
he did not like the look of some of the passing vessels; but at any
rate he made no movement to close with any of them, and it was not
until nightfall that sail was again hoisted and the brig proceeded on
her course.
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