"Ay, ay, sir," answered the first lieutenant, giving the necessary orders. Lieutenant Foley and the other officers set about carrying them out with alacrity. He was glad to be actively employed, for many anxious thoughts oppressed his mind. He could not conceal from himself the fearful odds to which they were exposed, and what might possibly be the issue of the approaching conflict. One of the enemy was certainly greatly superior in force to the _Champion_, and the other two French ships might be much larger than the _Thisbe_ and _Druid_. Even should their own ships be disabled, though not captured, many of the merchant fleet might fall a prey to the Frenchmen, and the _Ouzel Galley_ might possibly be among the number. What then would be the fate of Ellen and her father? It was of the greatest importance to Mr Ferris to reach Jamaica without delay, and instead of that he might very likely be carried to France, or detained as a prisoner in one of the French West India islands; while Ellen must be exposed to much annoyance and suffering. He himself had no coward fears for his own life; but he knew full well, should he fall, the grief and anguish it would cause her. All such thoughts were, however, put to flight as the two squadrons approached each other, the _Thisbe_ leading and the _Champion_, according to orders received from the commodore, bringing up the rear. Old Blowhard's object was to disable one of the French frigates before he attacked the other two, so that she might become a more equal antagonist for the _Champion_. As the squadrons approached, it was seen that each of the French frigates carried more guns than the _Thisbe_ and _Druid_, and nearly twice as many as the _Champion_. Old Blowhard, however, nothing daunted, stood on, firm to his purpose of attacking the enemy and leaving the convoy time to escape. The leading French frigate was a considerable way ahead of her consorts; on seeing the determined bearing of the English, she shortened sail, while they spread all the canvas they could to come up with her--the _Thisbe_ carrying all she could set, in order to attack her before they could accomplish their object. Just as the _Thisbe_ brought the enemy on her lee bow, the commodore threw out a signal to the _Druid_ to keep away and to rake the French frigate, while he poured his whole broadside into her. He also ordered the _Champion_ to imitate his example, and then to come about and fire her larboard broadside. The French captain might, of course, defeat these various manoeuvres by either keeping away or hauling his wind.