One morning at daylight Yawl sighted a sail--a large vessel a few miles astern of us, but a point or two more to the west, and on the same tack as ourselves.

We altered the sloop's course at once so as to bring her across the stranger's bows, for having neither ensign to reverse, nor gun wherewith to fire a signal of distress, it was a matter of life and death for us to get within hailing-distance.
"What is she! Can you make her out ?" I asked Yawl, as trembling with excitement, we looked longingly at the noble ship in which centered our hopes.
"Three masts! A merchantman?
No, I'm blest if I don't think she's a man-of-war.

So she is, a frigate and a firm 'un--forty or fifty guns, I should say." "Under what flag ?" "I'll tell you in a minute--Union Jack! No, stars and stripes.

She belongs to Uncle Sam, she do, sir, and he's no call to be ashamed of her; she's a perfect beauty and well handled.

By--I do believe they see us.