I can get the food to make them of." Instigated by his example and remarks, I took a little tea, and then a slice of beef and bread; and I confess that in a few minutes I began to experience my usual midshipman-like state of perfect health, with perhaps a little weight about the region of the heart, as if some calamity had happened to me, but that very soon wore off. We were speedily on deck again, looking out for the chase; while in the meantime the carpenter and most of the crew were busily employed in repairing damages. The sun as he rose higher in the sky, was every instant gaining power, and in almost an hour after we lost sight of the smuggler, he victoriously darted through the mass of vapour which in thick wreaths rolled away before it, our hitherto confined horizon every instant increasing, while the bright beams of the luminary struck down on our blood-stained deck. No vessel, however, appeared in the direction we expected; but as Hanks was glancing round the horizon, his eye fell on a sail, hull down to the eastward. "There she is," he exclaimed; "I should know her among a hundred other craft. D'Arcy, run below and tell the Commander that to my belief the _Kitty_ is in sight down to leeward." My uncle had gone to take his breakfast. I descended to the cabin. I found him sitting with his face resting on his hands on the table. He did not notice my entrance. I heard him groan deeply. "I hope, sir, you are not ill or wounded," said I; for I thought he must be hurt. "No, lad, no," he answered; "but it's a sad thing to have so many of one's men killed and hurt by a rascally smuggler. But we must try and catch the fellow, and then get the doctor's aid as fast as we can for those to whom it may yet be of use. But what do you come for?" I made my report. In an instant he shook off the feeling which was oppressing him, and springing on deck, he ordered the helm to be kept up and the mainsheet eased off till we were standing after the supposed smuggler. This was our best point of sailing, and probably the lugger's worst; at all events that rig of vessel has generally the greatest advantage on a wind. Our square-sail, square-topsail, and every sail the cutter could carry was now set, to overtake the chase; and the breeze freshening as the day advanced, we bowled away at a famous rate. "Do you think, Hanks, we have a chance of catching her?" I asked, as the old mate and I were intently watching her. "As to catching her, depends upon circumstances. If we get the strength of the breeze before her, and she doesn't hide away in another fog; but she has a long start, and we are out of luck this time, to my mind. However, why is it, D'Arcy, you are so anxious to have another brush with the chap? I thought you had had sufficient taste of his quality." "To punish him for killing poor Thole there," answered I, for I felt very bitter against the smugglers for the harm they had done.