Part 43 (1/2)

”They must be nice people if they are like him, for Oliver Crofton is a capital fellow He is as kind-hearted and even-te, and he is a favourite with all on board”

”I ah it makes me the more sorry that we should haveto fall in with hi up, the officers retired to their respective vessels, and the _Lily_ and _Ariel_ parted coua, the wind being froe sail to the south-west, and directly afterwards to give chase

All the canvas they could carry was set In a short tiers was seen to haul up to the northward, and the _Lily_ was ordered to go in pursuit of her She was apparently the smallest of the three, but was still likely to prove noon her, the coateher topsails, and finally her royals, disappeared beneath the horizon

”We shall have her all to ourselves, and we'll see how soon we can take her,” observed Mr Horrocks to the second lieutenant ”It is some time since you sood deal of it, ere beating off a shi+p twice our size, and should have taken her, too, had she not gone down in the night,” answered the second lieutenant, in his usual quiet tone ”I got my promotion in consequence”

”And wrote an ode to victory, eh?” said Mr Horrocks, as fond of bantering his brother lieutenant on his fondness for poetry

”And it was considered good,” responded the young officer

”You will have an opportunity of exercising your poetical talents before long on the saaining fast on the chase”

Just then the look-out from the mast-head shouted, ”Sail on the starboard bow!”

”Go and see what she is like,” said the commander to Rayner

Our hero hurried aloft, his telescope hanging by a strap at his back

He was quickly joined by the second lieutenant They were of opinion that she was a large craft, and that the object of the chase was to draw the _Lily_ away froht have two opponents to contend with

”We e to take her before she reaches the other, then we shall have time to prepare for a second action,” observed Mr Lascelles

”Can she be the _Ariel_?” asked Rayner ”She's very likely to be cruising hereabouts”

Mr Lascelles took another look at her through his glass

”I think not,” he answered ”The chase must have seen her, and must know her to be a friend, or she would not keep on as she is at present standing”

The two officers descended to make their report

The _Lily_ was a fast craft, and now rapidly gained on the chase, which, as she dreithin range, fired a couple of shot

Captain Saltwell ordered the two foreuns to be fired in return

The second lieutenant took charge of one and Rayner of the other Both, looking along the sights, gave them the proper elevation, and fired at the same moment The effect of the shot was beyond all expectation

Down ca, it was very evident, considerable confusion on board

”Bravo, Rayner! you did it!” cried Mr Lascelles ”My shot went through the mainsail”

The eneuns, but not a shot da up on the weather side of her opponent, began blazing away as fast as the crews could run in and load their guns

The stranger was a large flush-decked vessel, croithaway desperately at their guns, while others opened a heavy fire of uns, atching her, he caught sight of a youngsuddenly up through the co his way aft, seeetic action Rayner got but a gli sound