In a short time Dan and Tim, who had been sent into the cabin, appeared with Norah's trunks. She quickly followed. Having learned from Gerald the reason of her being sent on shore, she addressed her father. "Oh, father, I must not, I ought not to leave you," she exclaimed; "you think that the _Ouzel Galley_ will after all be recaptured, and you will be carried off to France, and perhaps ill-treated by those men from whom you have retaken the ship, while I shall be left." "Far better that it should be so than that we should both be made prisoners and ill-treated," replied the captain; "so be, as you always have been, an obedient girl--and now, my child, may Heaven bless and protect you!" and the captain, giving his daughter an affectionate kiss, led her to the gangway. The boat was already alongside, and Owen in her ready to help Norah down. She was soon seated in the boat; Gerald followed her. Just then the captain took another glance at the stranger, which was about three miles off; as he did so, the French flag was seen to fly out at her peak. At the same moment the sails of the _Ouzel Galley_ gave a loud flap; the captain looked round. "Praise Heaven! here comes the breeze from the eastward," he exclaimed. "Hold fast with the boat; come on deck again, Norah--we'll not part with you yet;" and, leaning down, he took her arm as she quickly climbed up the side. The rest of the party followed; and to save time the boat was dropped astern. All hands were busily engaged in bracing up the yards. The _Ouzel Galley_ was now well to windward; the French ship tacked, but was still able to steer a course which would bring her within gunshot. The two vessels stood on; the _Ouzel Galley_ was rapidly approaching the land, while the _Coquille_ was getting further from it. Another tack would, however, place her astern, and it would then be a question whether she could overtake the _Ouzel Galley_ before the latter could run up the harbour. Much would depend upon the way the wind blew when she got inside; it might come down the harbour, and in that case the Frenchman might overtake her before she could get up to Credda Head, within which it was not likely even Thurot himself would venture. The breeze held firm; the captain looked over the side. "The good ship seems to know her danger, and is slipping along famously," he observed to Owen. "We shall be up to Waterford Quay before nightfall, I hope; we have still a good part of the flood, and when Captain Thurot finds that there is no chance of taking us, he'll give up the chase." "He'll not do so till the last moment, captain," observed Lieutenant Vinoy. "There is no man like him; and should the wind fail us when we are inside the harbour, he will, or I am much mistaken, send in the boats to cut your vessel out."