Although the provisions in the cuddy were of good quality, and there was a sufficient supply for ten times the number of the commander's limited mess, those of the crew were scanty and of bad quality, and it seemed surprising that Frenchmen should have consented to live upon such fare. The steward told the men of the abundance which existed aft, but when they complained through Mr Voules to Lord Reginald, they were told that the provisions intended for the cabin could not be spared, and that they must be content with what they had got. Neither did Dick nor any of his officers dream of what was going forward. The convoy was approaching its destination. The _Ione_ had rejoined the day after the capture of the _Marie_, but no other event of general importance had occurred. The fleet was now within two hundred miles of the Straits of Sunda, when from the masthead of the _Marie_, which was to leeward, a sail was seen to the southward. She immediately communicated this by signal to the _Wolf_, and received in return an order to chase the stranger and ascertain her character. The other part of the signal was either not seen, or misunderstood by Lucas. "Up with the helm!" cried Lord Reginald; "square away the yards! If the fellow doesn't appear to be too tough a customer, we will bring him to action and sail back in triumph." The young lord did not observe the expression which passed over Voules's countenance, but fully believed that they had been ordered to chase, and, if to chase, to fight the vessel in sight, should she not prove to be an enemy of overwhelming force. Though Voules had never shown the white feather, he was decidedly prudent, and he remembered the _Maria's_ limited crew, which, though sufficient to navigate her, was not strong enough to man the guns. The _Marie_ looked more formidable than she really was, and as she approached the stranger made all sail to escape. The latter soon showed that her sailing powers were not much inferior to those of the _Marie_, by keeping almost the same distance ahead as she had been when she first discovered that she was pursued. The _Marie_ soon lost sight of the fleet. Voules suggested that as there was no probability of coming up with the chase for many hours, that they should haul their wind and stand back. "Certainly I will not do that," answered Lord Reginald. "Captain Moubray must have known that we could not come up with her in a hurry, and intended that we should overhaul her. We are gaining on her, and if we continue the chase and do not lose sight of her during the night, we shall probably, some time to-morrow, get alongside." "If we get so far away we shall find it no easy matter to regain the fleet," observed Voules. "The chase may not prove to be worth the trouble we are taking to capture her."