The wind was very light.

Hardly a ripple showed itself upon the clear blue water, but the sails blew gently out as the breeze came over the wooded banks.

The Frenchman had gone about also, and both ships were now heading slowly for the sea under fore-and-aft canvas, the _Gloire_ a hundred yards in advance.
She luffed up to cross the _Leda's_ bows, but the British ship came round also, and the two rippled slowly on in such a silence that the ringing of the ramrods as the French marines drove home their charges clanged quite loudly upon the ear.
"Not much sea-room, Mr.Wharton," remarked the captain.
"I have fought actions in less, sir." "We must keep our distance and trust to our gunnery.

She is very heavily manned, and if she got alongside we might find ourselves in trouble." "I see the shakoes of soldiers aboard other." "Two companies of light infantry from Martinique.

Now we have her! Hard-a-port, and let her have it as we cross her stern!" The keen eye of the little commander had seen the surface ripple, which told of a passing breeze.