We of the frigate overhauled our portion of the chase rapidly; but the stranger was so far to leeward that we were forced to run a long distance from our consorts, and when the _Essex_ was a couple of leagues off, those who were watching astern could see that one of the strangers which we had left for the _Georgiana_ and the _Greenwich_ to look after, had tacked, and was evidently manoeuvring to cut the _Georgiana_ out. Now had matters become interesting for a verity. Short-handed as our consorts were, there was a good chance that one would be captured while we were running to leeward, and I literally held my breath in suspense, expecting each moment to see the tiny wisp of red and white which we knew to be the stars and stripes, hauled down in response to the stranger's threats. If any proof had been needed that Yankees were not inclined to surrender without a fight, we had it then, when we saw the _Greenwich_ heave to, take a portion of the crew from the _Georgiana_, and bear boldly down on the enemy. What a cheer went up from our men when this had been done! I was proud of my countrymen then, and could have hugged every old shellback on board the _Greenwich_ with a good zest, had it been possible to get at them. "I'll answer for it that our comrades hold those two Britishers in check until we can get back," Master Hackett said in a tone of satisfaction, and again we cheered until those on the ship we were overhauling so rapidly must have heard and wondered why we were making such a fuss about the capture of a whaler. Well, we bore down on the chase hand over hand, and when we were so near that a shot might have been pitched into any part of her, the ship hove to without the slightest show of resistance. Captain Porter hailed as the British colors were hauled down, and then we learned that this last prize was the English whaler _Charlton_, two hundred and seventy-four tons, with ten guns and twenty-one men. Her officers were transferred to the _Essex_, a prize crew was thrown on board in a twinkling, and the frigate hauled her wind to take care of the others. Captain Porter was so eager for information that he questioned the captain of the _Charlton_ on the quarter-deck, and many of the gun-deck inquisitives heard the whole story. By this means our commander learned that the largest of the ships we now counted on taking was the _Seringapatam_, three hundred and fifty-seven tons, carrying fourteen guns and forty men. It was this craft which had been manoeuvring to cut out the _Georgiana_, and unless we had been near at hand to lend assistance the job might have been done. The other Britisher was the _New Zealander_, of two hundred and fifty-nine tons, eight guns, and twenty-three men. The _Seringapatam_ had been built for a cruiser, so our prisoners said, and was the most dangerous ship, so far as the American trade was concerned, of any craft west of Cape Horn.