The _Coquille_ immediately casting off her prize, made all sail in chase of the stranger, the rapidly approaching shades of evening soon concealing her from sight. The French prize crew, aided by the seamen of the _Ouzel Galley_, went on with the work which had been left incomplete of setting up the main-topmast rigging and getting the yard across. Night compelled them to knock off before the work was finished. The wind, however, continued steady, and the ship ran on almost dead before it under her head-sails the French officer, Lieutenant Vinoy, was a remarkably polite young gentleman, but whether or not he was a good seaman remained to be proved. He expressed his wish in no way to incommode Mademoiselle, as he called Norah, and declared that he should be perfectly satisfied to occupy the second mate's cabin, and would on no account turn her or her father out of theirs. Besides himself, he had but one person, a petty officer, capable of taking charge of a watch, so that he had but very little time to bestow on the young lady those attentions which, under other circumstances, he might have been inclined to pay. She too was fully engaged in attending on Owen and in visiting with her father the wounded and sick men. The night passed off quietly, and the whole of the first day was spent by all hands in setting up the topmast. It was not till supper-time that the lieutenant entered the cabin, and, throwing himself on a chair, expressed his satisfaction that the task was at length accomplished. "And your men, captain, deserve credit for the way they have worked," he observed; "they could not have done so more willingly had they been performing the task for their own advantage. For my part, I am pretty well worn out--you may be sure that I shall sleep soundly during my watch below." "Do you generally sleep soundly, Lieutenant Vinoy?" asked Gerald. "Yes, I am celebrated for it," answered the lieutenant, laughing; "it takes a good deal to awake me when once my eyes are closed. I am never idle, you see; I work hard and sleep hard--that is as it should be." Gerald recollected the lieutenant's remark, and a thought at that moment came into his head which he kept there, turning it and round and over and over till he carried it into execution. CHAPTER THREE. A HEAVY GALE AHEAD--THE WIND BECOMES FAIR--GERALD'S PLAN TO RECOVER THE SHIP--CARRIES IT OUT--NORAH'S RESOLUTION--THE LIEUTENANT CAUGHT NAPPING--THE FRENCHMEN'S WEAPONS SECURED--BUSSON AND THE FRENCH CREW OVERPOWERED--GERALD AND NORAH HOLD LIEUTENANT VINOY IN CHECK--THE OUZEL GALLEY REGAINED--A COURSE STEERED FOR WATERFORD--PRECAUTIONS AGAINST RECAPTURE--APPROACH THE LAND.