"By my faith, I believe our friend is going to carry us off to sea!" he exclaimed; "I suspected there was something in the wind, and, going aloft, I discovered a large ship in the offing; so did the Frenchmen, and they immediately commenced hauling on their spring and letting fall the canvas ready to make sail in a moment. They don't like going without their men and the promised provisions; but they will have to do it if the boats don't return quickly, for I'm much mistaken if the vessel I saw isn't the _Champion_, which we have so long been looking for." Ellen, who had hitherto been asleep, started as she heard Captain O'Brien speak. "The _Champion_, do you say?" she asked. "I think it more than probable that she is," said the captain. Ellen did not reply, but the thought--and to her it was an agitating one-- immediately occurred to her mind, "The _Champion_ will surely attack the French ship." It was confirmed by the next remark her father made. "If so, the Frenchman will have to fight for it, for Captain Olding is not likely to let him go without questioning him," said Mr Ferris. "But where do you think, my friend, we shall be in that case?" asked Captain O'Brien. "Thurot will scarcely send us on shore first in one of his boats, and I see no signs of our own." "Could we not get him to make a signal for a boat from the shore? He surely will not detain my daughter, with the prospect of having to fight his ship," exclaimed Mr Ferris, becoming anxious. "How mad I was to allow her to remain!" "Do not be alarmed about me. I trust that we shall have no difficulty in getting on board the _Champion_ should she enter the harbour," said Ellen. "We may be confident that Thurot will not wait for her here," said Captain O'Brien; "but I will go on deck and get him without delay to make a signal for a boat from the shore, if ours are not in sight. If they are, he will probably wait for them." On going on deck Captain O'Brien found that the corvette had slipped her cable, that the topsails were set, and that the crew were aloft loosing the other sails. Still, in spite of the wide folds of canvas which were rapidly spread on the ship, the wind was so light that she made but little way. There was yet time for a boat to come off from the shore, and Captain Thurot without hesitation made a signal as he was requested, firing a gun to draw attention. No boat however, appeared. "Captain Thurot," exclaimed Captain O'Brien, going up to him, "I must beg that you will send Miss Ferris and her father on shore before you leave the harbour. It would be terrible to expose her to all the risks of a battle--and that you will be engaged in one with yonder ship, I have no doubt. She is a British ship of war, and is sure to attack you when she finds out your character."