Of current there was none; and there being no tides in the Mediterranean, the ship would have lain perfectly stationary all the morning, but for a very light air from the southward.

Before this air, however, she had moved to the westward about a couple of miles, until she had got the government-house nearly abeam.

At the same time she had been obliquely drawing nearer, which was the circumstance that produced the alarm.

With the sun had risen the wind, and a few minutes before the colonel interrupted himself in the manner related, the topsails of the stranger had swelled, and he began to move through the water at the rate of some four or five knots the hour.

The moment her people felt that they had complete command of their vessel, as if waiting only for that assurance, they altered her course and made sail.