"Hard upon the wind: if he hold on, we will cross his wake close astern." "Well, do now as I desire you, sir. Let the boat away as many points as will run you under his bows--and hold on your course till I give you farther orders." Then, in an under-growl to himself, "Ah, ha, he thought he had swamped me about that d----d business of his Son's and the Phoenix; but I'll show the old costermongering rogue that I can cross his bows, both on shore and at sea"--here he raised his voice again--"and, hilloa, sir! order him, as soon as he comes within hail, to run under my stern, and round to leeward, till your commander questions him on his Majesty's service. And clear away that gun in the bows there, for, by ----, if he does not put his helm up, I'll fire into him, as I would into a huxter's stall!" We accordingly fell away to leeward, and the vessels rapidly neared each other. The stranger had studding-sails set from the very top-gallant royals to the chain-plates; and a more splendid sight my eyes never beheld than he presented, spooming down, swift and steady through the fresh, green, sparkling seas that sheeted off round either bow in a continuous jet, glassy, unbroken, and in colour like the purest amethyst, till it foamed away down the broadside in white boiling eddies of froth. We were now within hail: the mate took the trumpet, and shouted his orders as he had received them: there was no answer. The stranger still held on his course, right before the wind. "He won't alter his course, sir," said the mate to the captain. "What is to be done?"