The three ships at that moment formed the three angles of a nearly equilateral triangle, the sides of which measured each about a quarter of a mile; the _Virginie_ and the _Aurora_ occupying, as it were, the two ends of the base, and the Frenchman being at the apex. This allowed both English ships to attack their enemy on the same side--the starboard--and compelled the Frenchman to fight them both with only half his battery. He soon saw how great a disadvantage he laboured under by this arrangement, and did all he could to get between them. But it was all to no purpose; George and Bowen were fully as wide-awake as he was, and they successfully defeated every effort of his in this direction, principally, it must be confessed, by some lucky shooting on their part, whereby the Frenchman's spars and rigging were so cut up that the craft soon became practically unmanageable. At length, after a brisk fight of about twenty minutes, the Frenchman's fore and main-topmasts both went simultaneously over the side, the frigate luffed into the wind, and obstinately remained there, and she was at George's mercy. The _Virginie_ at once made sail and took up a position across the enemy's bows, the _Aurora_ placed herself across his stern, and from these two advantageous positions a raking fire was opened, which, in less than five minutes, caused the Frenchman to haul down his flag and surrender. The prize--which proved to be the twenty-four-gun frigate _Cigne_--was at once taken possession of by boats from both the _Virginie_ and the _Aurora_, her crew secured, and her damages repaired; and about midnight the three vessels made sail in company, arriving without further adventure at Spithead on the day but one following. CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. "ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL." The anchors were no sooner on the bottom than George found himself a busy man. There were certain authorities to be communicated with as to the disposal of the French prisoners, other authorities to be consulted as to the disposal of the pirates, and still others, again, to be seen and arranged with as to the disposal of the prizes. Then there were the owners of the _Vulcan_ to be dealt with in the matter of the salvage of that vessel, so that, altogether, he was kept going to and fro from morning until night. Then there was Lucy to be called upon. But knowing--or thinking he knew--that the sad news he had to communicate would go far toward breaking the heart of the poor girl, he eagerly availed himself of every excuse which offered, to defer his visit; and so it happened that whilst Lucy--who had heard, with astonishment and joy unspeakable, the news of his strange reappearance and good fortune--waited impatiently for the longed-for visit, George was postponing it day after day, until nearly a fortnight had passed.