Chapter 17

"O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!
The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace."

Shakspeare.

Marble and I looked each other in the face, and then burst into a laugh,
as the French fired a single shot from the two-gun battery, which flew
beyond us, but which could scarcely hit us on account of some intervening
rocks. I altered the course of the ship in order to get a little more out
of the range; after this, we had nothing to fear from the French. The boat
did not attempt to follow us, and thus ended our communication with _le
Polisson_ and her people, a that time. As for la Fortunée, it would
require at least four hours for her to beat round the end of the cluster
of islands, and seeing the hopelessness of doing this in time to overtake
such a ship as the Dawn, her commander made a dash in at the unfortunate
brig, which he actually succeeded in cutting out from the roadstead, in
spite of all the defences of the place. The last I _heard_ of these
gentlemen, was the reports of the guns that were exchanged between the
battery and the frigate, while the last I _saw_ of them, was the smoke
that floated over the spot, long after the islands had sunk beneath the
horizon. The Dawn stood directly out to sea, with the wind still at the
northward, though it had drawn more through the pass in-shore.

"Well, Miles," cried Marble, as he and I sat eating our dinner on deck,
where Neb had been ordered to serve it, "you know what I've always said of
your luck. It's proof ag'in every thing but Providence! Die you must and
will, some of these times; but, not until you've done something
remarkable. Sail with you, my boy! I consider your company a standing
policy of insurance, and have no sort of consarn about fortin, while I'm
under your orders. With any other man, I should be nothing but a bloody
hermit, instead of the dutiful son and affectionate uncle I am. But, what
do you mean to perform next?"

"I have been thinking, Moses, our best step will be to shape our course
for Hamburg, whither we are bound. This northerly wind can't last long at
this season, and another south-wester would just serve our turn. In ten
days, or a fortnight, we might make our haven."

"And then those French chaps that are attacking yonder kid of pork, as if
it were a wild beast; the fellows never saw good solid food before!"

"Feed them well,--treat them well--and make them work. They would never
think of troubling us; nor do I suppose they know anything of navigation.
I see they smoke and chew; we will give 'em as much tobacco as their
hearts can wish, or their mouths hold; and this will keep them in
good humour."

"And John Bull?"