To these, little attention had been paid.

The skipper shaded his eyes with a hand, and gazed earnestly at a large ship on the weather beam, some four miles away.
"That is a frigate, sure enough," he exclaimed.

"We are fairly caught between them.
"Haul in the sheets, lads, we will have a try for it yet." The lugger was brought sharp up into the wind, and was soon staggering along seaward, with the lee bulwark almost under water.

The cutter instantly lowered her square sail, and followed her example, continuing to fire a gun every minute.

All eyes were turned towards the frigate, which was now on the port beam.
"We shall cross two miles to windward of her," the skipper said.