Late in the afternoon, the ship being under all plain sail, on the port tack, heading due west, the voice of the lookout on the mainroyal-yard floated down to the deck in that hail which is always thrilling at sea, and was doubly so in this instance,-- "Sail ho!" Motioning to the officer of the deck, Jones himself replied in his powerful voice,-- "Where away?" "Broad off the lee-beam, sir." "Can you make her out?" "No, sir, not yet." "Well, keep your eye lifting, my man, and sing out when you do. Mr. Simpson," he said, turning to the officer of the deck, "let her go off a couple of points." "Ay, ay, sir. Up with the helm, quartermaster, round in the weather-braces, rise tacks and sheets." The speed of the ship going free was materially increased at once, and in a few moments the lookout once more hailed the deck,-- "I can make her out now, sir." "What is it?" "A ship, sir, ay, and there is another one with her, and a third. I can't tell what she is, sir. The first one looks like a large ship." "Mr. Wallingford, take the glass and go up the crosstrees and see what you make of them, sir," said the captain. "Very good, sir," replied the lieutenant, springing into the main rigging and rapidly ascending to the crosstrees, glass in hand. "Gentlemen, we will have a nearer look at these gentry," continued the captain, glancing back at the officers, who had all come up from below, while the men, equally interested, were crowding on the forecastle, and gazing eagerly in the direction of the reported sails, which were not yet visible from the deck. "On deck, there." "Ay, ay, what is it?" "I can make out five ships, and two brigs, and a schooner, and some other sails just rising, all close hauled on the port tack. I think there are more of them, sir, but I can't say yet. We are rapidly drawing down on them, and shall be able to make them out in a minute. I think it is a convoy or a fleet." "That will do, Mr. Wallingford; lay down on deck, sir; give the glass to the man on the royal-yard, though, before you come. Who is he?" "It is me, sir, Jack Thompson." "Keep a bright lookout then, Thompson, and if yon 's an enemy's fleet or convoy, it means a glass of grog and a guinea for you when your watch is over." "Thankee, sir," cried the delighted seaman. "Mr. Wallingford, could you make anything out of the size of the ships?" "One of them I should say was a large ship, a frigate or ship of the line possibly, the others were too far off."